One Miffed Delivery Boy
by jjgp1112
Summary: Gohan is an angry, brooding teenager. After being enrolled against his wishes into Orange Star High School, our favorite Half Saiyan now has to cope with the annoyances of school. And will that girl with the pigtails stop looking at him like that?
1. Gohan's Worst Nightmare

**Yeah, not the most original of ideas, but dammit I just really feel like writing something while I sort out ideas for future storylines in Dragon Ball NG. And of course I don't own Dragon Ball, Z, or GT, because this would be a manga in Shonen Jump instead of a story posted on a website.  
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Sure, back when it happened, he was perfectly fine with it. His dad had chosen to stay dead because he simply attracted too much villains. After all, the whole mess with the Androids and Cell was the result of a mad plot dedicated to exacting revenge on him, right? So then, it'd make perfect sense for him to stay away from Earth to keep it safe just in case some other figure from the past decides to show up, because mysterious badasses from the future aren't always going to be there to warn them all. And besides, he was going to have tons of fun in the afterlife, anyway! That's what Son Gohan rationalized in the immediate weeks following the Cell Games. But as the months went on, the weight of his father's loss truly started to come to the surface.

For one thing, his mother was pregnant again. She was already nearly three months along by the time the Androids arrived, but she hadn't even realized it! The half Saiyan immediately felt hatred towards his late father. How could he leave them behind when she was carrying his second child? Who the hell did he think he was to allow his own kid to live not knowing who their father is beyond stories? But of course, Gohan came to his senses. It was pretty obvious that he just plain didn't know, seeing as how his mother didn't. That was surely a weight lifted off of his shoulders, at least. However, during the later stages of her pregnancy, Gohan had to play the role of caretaker. His mother was already temperamental enough without her hormones raging, but now? Fighting Cell was like child's play!

Gohan became angrier – angry at his dad for leaving him, a damn 11 year old boy, to do all of this. And more importantly, he was angry at himself; he felt like a failure. Although he saved the world, hell, the entire _universe_, if it weren't for his stupid conceit, he could've done it without having to lose Goku in the process. Those words of warning that Goku shouted to him during the battle kept ringing through his head throughout the months:

"_Don't push him even further over the edge! There's no telling what he'll do!"_

All he did was fucking smirk at him. Gohan's mood became worse. This wasn't helped at all by the fact that his newborn brother looked just like the father who he failed to protect and then _left him behind_. Sure, it was incredibly selfish to blame Goten for anything, but his eyes and that damn hair was a constant reminder of why his mental well-being was taking a nosedive. Afterwards, Gohan became very temperamental and standoffish. He would yell at Chi-Chi every time she would order him to study, and when she finally had enough and forced him to go to his room, he of course would sneak off and hang out with Piccolo. But not even the 7 foot Namekian warrior was safe from Gohan's mood swings. He had a high tolerance level, but Gohan was definitely pushing him to his absolute limits. More than once had the half Saiyan destroyed something in his home in a fit of rage, and his arguments with Chi-Chi became increasingly nasty. He became a far-cry from the innocent little Son Gohan everyone once knew.

* * *

><p><strong>3 Years Later<strong>

*RIIIIIIIIIIING!*

Gohan was rolling around in his bed. That damn ringing was irritating the living hell out of him.

*RIIIIIIIIIIING!*

Gohan rolled over face down and slammed a pillow on the back of his wild hair.

*RIIIIIIIIIIIING!*

The demi-Saiyan had just about all he could take. He raised his hand up and it was glowing with Ki intended for his current enemy: the damned alarm clock. It was the 5th replacement in the past 2 weeks alone! But before he could fire, he felt a significant weight slam onto his back.

"WAKE UP BIG BROTHER! IT'S TIME FOR BREAKFAST!"

The perpetrator was the three year old Goten. Merrily jumping up and down, the little Saiyan tried to get his brother out of bed. He was the only thing keeping him from the 25 plates waiting for him, since Chi-Chi insisted on the whole trio being present for their meals.

Gohan sighed in defeat. "Alright, alright, I'm getting up!" He whined, swatting Goten off of him. He slowly rose from his bed, scratching through the various large spikes in his hair. He _really_ didn't feel like getting up this morning. In addition to his usual awful mood, he was fearing the wrath of his mother, which exceeded that of the seventh circle of hell, he assumed. In another one of their arguments, he crossed that which should never be crossed – sick of her yelling and just wanting to get some goddamned sleep, he went as far as saying a very nasty insult: _"Jeez, sometimes I understand why dad wanted to stay dead." _His mother's reaction was dangerously calm, probably shocked that he would even say something so harsh. Even Gohan realized that he should have never let the words leave his mouth, but he was so weary of his punishment that he was too scared to even apologize.

Gohan tensely eyed his mother as he approached the kitchen table. Surprisingly, all she said was, "Good morning, Gohan."

"Morning, mom." Gohan said through a yawn. He and Chi-Chi took a seat, much to the approval of the hungry three year old waiting to devour the meal, which could have served entire armies, set in front of him. As soon as Chi-Chi finished saying their morning grace, Goten devoured his food. Gohan on the other hand, just looked down at the pancakes in front of him, doing nothing but poking a fork in them with his head slumped in his left hand.

Chi-Chi sighed. "Gohan, about yesterday; I know you didn't mean what you said. To be truthful, I shouldn't have started yelling at you."

"I'm sorry about what I said, mom. I was just so mad that I blurted out whatever came to my head. I was out of line." Gohan said, sincerely.

Chi-Chi weakly smiled. "It's okay. But I wanted to talk to you about something else."

Gohan grunted in annoyance. Here we go again.

"I've decided to enroll you in Orange Star High School. The school year starts next week." Chi-Chi announced.

Gohan simply glared at his mother. "You're joking, right?"

"I most certainly am not! A boy your age needs to socialize with other kids!" Chi-Chi rebutted. _And a woman at my age needs ~GRANDCHILDREN!~ _"I think it will help cheer up your spirits."

"Well, you definitely thought wrong on that one." Gohan answered back.

Chi-Chi growled at her son and her eyes narrowed. "We are definitely not going down _that_ road again! I'm not asking you if you want to go, I'm telling you!"

Gohan stood back up, not even touching his meal. "Yeah, whatever." He turned to the stairs and went up to his room. "Just call me when you finally come to your senses."

Chi-Chi sighed and looked at Gohan's once occupied chair in concern. Sometimes it truly made her sad how much her son had changed over the years. She looked up at the sky, hoping her husband would see her. _Goku, why can't you just come back?_

Gohan slammed his door so hard it almost broke off its hinges and roughly sat on his bed. What the fuck was she thinking? His mother must have finally gone off the deep-end. High school? What did he need that for? He already mastered that level of education by the time he was seven! What was he going to do, just sleep all day? There was no way a guy like him would fit in with a bunch of regular ki-

*RIIIIIIIIIIIING!*

Gohan angrily growled, stood up, walked over to the Dende-forsaken alarm clock, grabbed it, and crushed it to pieces once and for all. And just in case the rest of the inanimate objects in his room didn't get the message, he violently kicked his dresser, causing it to fall over and spill a bunch of his clothes with it. Gohan collapsed onto his bed and sighed, hoping this was all just some crazy dream.

A few hours later, Gohan heard a knock on his door.

"Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked.

"What?" Gohan asked in annoyance.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Whatever."

Chi-Chi opened the door and walked over to Gohan, who was sitting in his bed. "Look, Gohan, I understand why you're mad over this, but just listen."

"Why?" Gohan cut in. "Is this your idea of a crazy punishment for all of the bad things I've done over the last couple of years?"

Chi-Chi chuckled. "You know I wouldn't do this if I didn't think it was good for you. You need to make friends, and no, big green aliens and martial artists who are all old enough to be your parents don't count."

"But I can't make friends with kids my age. I can snap them like a twig if I felt like it." Gohan whined. He had a point. "How am I going to fit in if I have to constantly worry about keeping my powers hidden?"

Chi-Chi smirked. "You're the one who wants to be a scientist. You figure it out."

Gohan gave a conceding nod. "Alright, alright, fine, I'll give it a try. But in the likelihood that it doesn't work out, don't get mad at me, got it?"

Chi-Chi put her hand on his shoulder. "Of course, son." She said before leaving. Gohan took a deep breath and lay back down on his bed. The next week was going to be really interesting, to say the least.

* * *

><p>Seven days later, Gohan was awoken by the 15th replacement of his alarm clock. He was not looking forward to this new school at all. Yawning, Gohan grabbed a big black t-shirt (mostly to cover up his muscles) and a pair of dark blue jeans. Chi-Chi suggested he cut his hair into something along the lines of Yamcha's style to look less conspicuous but he didn't really give a crap. He liked his hair the way it was.<p>

Gohan walked outside, where his mother was waiting for him.

"Now, son, I know you're not in the greatest of spirits but just _try_ to make friends, okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Gohan said in a disinterested tone.

Chi-Chi gave her son a big hug. "Have fun!"

"Suuuure." Gohan deadpanned. He blasted off to the sky, not even caring about how odd of a site a 14 year old flying around over the city was. Satan City was a big place, although nothing that captured his interest at this point. He had been there plenty of times before, usually taking Goten around somewhere and even beating up the occasional robber, in his Super Saiyan form of course, to pass by the time. And from the sound of things, it looked like he was going to have to do that again. Gohan turned over to a bank, where he was hearing numerous screams and gunshots. Gohan sighed in annoyance before going Super Saiyan and running over to the crime scene.

A couple of guys wearing ski masks were pointing guns around with various bags of money in their hands. "Yeah, that's good, just let us get away and nobody gets hurt." One of the skinnier guys said as they slowly backed out of the doors. They turned around to find the police already waiting for them. The criminal trio exchanged glances and unleashed a shower of bullets on the police force. In the crazy shootout, the big guy ran over to a truck and tossed the bags in and got into the driver's seat. He quickly stomped on the gas pedal and took off, shouting at his two smaller comrades. They all hopped in, escaping the angry cops and relaxed knowing they got away with the crime.

That is, until a golden haired, teal eyed half Saiyan suddenly appeared in front of him. The startled driver swerved to the side to avoid a collision while shouting every obscenity in the book. He leaned out of the window to give this little punk a piece of his mind.

"Stupid little kid! Watch where the hell you're going!" He shouted.

"Just return the money and I'll see to it you don't have to spend a few nights confined to a hospital bed." Gohan ordered, his voice deceptively calm. The three criminals let out obnoxious howls of laughter.

"This kid thinks he's tough! Let's take care of 'im quick!" The smallest one ordered.

Gohan jammed his foot into the hood of the car as a warning. The trio froze up but were nonetheless ready to unleash on Gohan. They started firing bullets but Gohan dodged them like he was taking a stroll in the park. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, Gohan closed his eyes and shook his head. "Warned 'em."

Gohan swiftly knocked the three guys out, chopping the two small guys in the neck and then delivering a brutal kick to the jaw of the large one to send him several hundred, maybe even thousand feet into the air. Gohan grabbed the bags of money and brought them over to the area where the robbery occurred, getting an applause from the civilians on the way there. The dog-like police chief shook his hand.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Gold Fighter!" He said.

"Yeah, whatever." Gohan replied in pure boredom before flying away. Fighting crime was so mundane, even though it was kinda fun showing off.

* * *

><p>Gohan finally found his destination – Orange Star High School. It was huge, nearly giving Capsule Corporation a run for its money. Gohan exhaled, bracing himself for hell.<p>

He stepped inside the school and was taken aback by the sheer amount of students running throughout the hall to get to their classes. As he walked down the hall, he saw through his peripheral vision girls whispering to each other and giving him suggestive looks. With his advanced hearing, he could pick up what they were saying easily.

"Ooh, this one's a cutie!"

"I wouldn't mind going out with him some time!"

"His hair is really cool!"

Gohan blushed and searched for his class. This was like searching for Namekian villages all over again; finding where he needed to be was going to be a nigh-impossible feat. Finally, Gohan found a door labeled "1989B" and opened it up. He was surprised to see a huge, already filled class. He looked around nervously when the teacher, a bald man who looked to be in his forties, turned his attention to him.

"Ah, so you must be Son Gohan. A little late, are we?" The teacher asked. Also of note, Gohan was slightly surprised by how much he sounded like Yamcha.

"I just got lost, that's all." Gohan explained.

"Well it's nice to meet you, Gohan. I'm Mr. Sabat, you homeroom teacher." Mr. Sabat turned to the class. "Students, you can learn something from this kid right here – he got perfect scores on his entrance exams!"

The students gasped upon hearing this. They all started exchanging whispers with each other, most of them along the line of "Nerd," "I should make him do my homework," and of course, "His hair's funny but he's really cute!"

"It's such an impressive feat." Mr. Sabat continued.

"Yeah, whatever." Gohan replied. That was becoming his catchphrase. He walked over to the desks where he was met with the voice of a loud blonde.

"Hey cutie! YOO HOO! Over here!" She said, pointing to the empty seat next to her. Trying to overcome the assault being unleashed upon his ears, Gohan walked up to where she was and took a seat. He looked at the ditzy blonde next to him with half open eyes as if to indicate that he didn't really want to talk to her right now, but if she got the message she sure wasn't showing it, because she started chatting away.

"Hey, I'm Erasa! Our school doesn't get enough cute guys like you!" Erasa said, oblivious to the hell she was unleashing upon Gohan's ears.

A long haired blonde guy leaned over. "Hey, I resent that!" He complained.

"Oh, hush!" Erasa said, waving a dismissive hand at him. She turned her attention back to Gohan. "That's Sharpner; you'll get used to his yelling."

_I hope that's the case with you_. Gohan thought, wisely keeping that little comment to himself.

"And over HERE is Videl!" Erasa said, pointing to the girl with black pig tails that looked just as disinterested as Gohan was. "She's a tough one, but you'll like her! And get this – her father is Mr. Satan himself! How's it feel to know the daughter of a celebrity, huh Gohan?"

Gohan knew or Mr. Satan very well. He didn't particularly care about being known for defeating Cell but it still kind of irked him how that buffoon was taking credit for his accomplishments. Gohan gave an indifferent sigh. "Gee, I'm overcome with disbelief as I speak." Gohan deadpanned before turning back to the front of the blackboard with a faraway look.

The three people next to him all looked at him with wide eyes, yes even Videl. Sharpner was the first to speak up. "Dude, you do realize that he's the guy who defeated Cell, right."

Gohan yawned and stretched his arms. "Yeah, not particularly a significant subject to me." Gohan buried his head in his desk. He already had enough of this school and he was barely even in it for five minutes! Videl's eyes narrowed as she gave him a look. _Gee, what crawled up his ass and died?_

"Oh, whatever. Anyway," Sharpner began, "I'm sure you've all heard of the Gold Fighter already! I heard he beat up some more criminals earlier this morning!"

That caught Gohan's attention. He already had a nickname? He lifted his head up and looked over at the conversing trio.

"Yeah, I wonder who he is. They said he had crazy spiky Golden hair and super strength." Erasa said. He looked over at Gohan. "Do you know anything about him?"

"Nope, never heard of him." Gohan lied. The tone of his voice indicated someone who _really_ didn't feel like talking right now.

Videl looked over at him again. _Hmm…come to think of it, his hair does look a lot like _his. "His" of course, was referring to the mysterious Delivery Boy from the Cell Games. _But his hair is black, so there's no way. Then again, those guys in the Cell Games, the one with the crazy spiky hair and the other guy with the lavender hair, were able to change their hair color._ Videl spoke up, "You don't seem to care much about anything, do you?"

"Gee, you oughta win a prize." Gohan said sarcastically. How long was this damned class gonna go on for? That remark earned him a glare from Videl. _This kid has such an attitude problem! What's got him acting so mean in the first place? _She couldn't believe the gall of this guy to not only belittle her father's achievements, but also mouth off like that to someone he just met!

Sharpner laughed. "We've got a real smart aleck on our hands, here!"

Erasa joined him. "Well I for one like a guy with a sense of humor!" She said flirtingly. Gohan groaned. Who was she, Master Roshi's granddaughter or something? "So where do you live, anyway?"

"East District 439." Gohan replied, almost robotically.

Erasa gasped in shock. "But that's nearly five hours from here! You must have to get up really early in the morning to get here!"

Gohan yawned. "I have my ways."

The rest of the period went on in [merciful] silence. Sure, Erasa was practically molesting him with her eyes, but he put up with it until the bell rang, releasing Gohan from what was surely a practical joke from Dende. Gohan took out of a piece of paper to find where his locker assignment was, which was conveniently just a few feet away from his homeroom. Much to his chagrin, a certain pig tailed girl had a locker right next to his.

"Well, Mr. Rotten Apple, what an interesting turn of events this is." Videl said. Gohan remained silent, swearing to Dende he was going to give him a piece of his mind when this was all said and done. Videl snatched the schedule from his hands and looked it over. "As if things couldn't get more convenient, we have most of the same classes. Looks like we'll be seeing each other a lot more than we'd like."

"Fan-friggin'-tastic."Gohan dryly said.

"Whatever, I'll walk with you to our next class. I suppose I can put up with your sarcasm for a couple of minutes." Gohan grunted in response. Okay, now he was _sure_ Dende was trying to mess with him. He could practically hear his laughter. Gohan slammed his locker door shut, which got him a few glances from the other kids in the hall. He walked away, with Videl following along.

Against her smarter judgment, Videl sparked up a conversation. "So, what school did you go to before coming here?"

"Home schooled." Gohan replied plainly.

"Well I guess that would explain your lack of social skills." Videl commented.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Well if you're just gonna start judging me we might as well not even talk." Was his reply, with clear frustration in his voice.

Videl snorted in response. "Maybe you oughta try not being a prick."

"Duly noted." Gohan said in glorious sarcasm.

Videl looked up at him with interest. She had to admit, he was a quick witted one. Perhaps she could make snappy exchanges like this a daily occurrence with him? This was, dare she say, kinda fun. _And he _is_ pretty cute…_ Videl thought before getting a hold of herself. _Oh, what am I saying? I've been hanging around Erasa for _way_ too long!_

On the way to class, Gohan bumped into some muscularly built, redhead guy. "Hey, watch where you're going, punk!"

"I wasn't the one who was running around the hall like a moron." Gohan replied. Videl looked at Gohan with wide eyes. _Gohan, you idiot! Must you be sarcastic to _everyone_?_ _Stapler will break you in half!_

"If I were you, I'd watch what I say!" Stapler warned.

"Uh huh, whatever." Gohan said. He brushed past him and continued walking to his class. Stapler looked over his shoulder at him, clearly angry.

"Gohan, do you realize who you were talking to? That was Stapler, the roughest senior in the whole school! Of course, _I_ can beat him with no problem, but you don't look all of that tough." Videl warned.

"Gee, thanks." Gohan replied. "And he just looked like a dumb, obnoxious, brute to me."

"Just saying, don't act all tough to someone who clearly outmatches you." Videl said.

Gohan laughed to himself. She didn't know that he could probably break that moron's bones with just the tip of his finger. They finally walked into their next class, which was Algebra. Much to Gohan's horror, a familiar ditzy voice greeted him.

"Oooh, I see Gohan and Videl are already hitting it off!" Erasa teased. Videl looked at Erasa in horror. Even Gohan was showing more emotion than usual!

"It's nothing like that! Our lockers are next to each other is all!" Videl said, her cheeks crimson red.

Erasa laughed. "Yeah, riiiiiight." The Saiyan in Gohan was telling him to snap this girl's neck to cease his misery. Letting out a huff, Gohan sat down next to the gossipy airhead and took a much needed nap.

15 minutes later, his sleep was interrupted by the teacher, Mrs. Nadolny. "Well, since our wild haired kid in the back is taking a nap, I'm sure he _must_ know the answer to the equation." Gohan's head snapped up. It wasn't that he didn't know the answer, it was just that he was enjoying that nap, dammit! The class collectively "Ooh"'d as they all turned to look over at the Demi-Saiyan. Gohan sighed and took a quick glance at the equation on the board. That question was simple!

"C'mon, Brains, show us how smart you are!" Sharpner challenged.

"Subtract 5000 from 50000, divide the answer, 45000, by 5, and the answer to the equation is x is greater than 9000." Gohan explained, not even attempting to hide the apathy in his voice. The class looked at Gohan with all of their mouths gaped open. This crazy haired bastard really was smart.

Mrs. Nadolny cleared her throat in approval. "I…see. That is correct."

Upon hearing that, Gohan rested his head back on his desk and slept for the rest of the period, and Mrs. Nadolny didn't even utter a complaint. Minutes later, the bell rang. Everyone got up to leave, but Gohan was still deep in his sleep. Seeing that the bell didn't wake him up, Videl decided slamming her book on his desk was a better option. Gohan quickly jolted up, and boy was he pissed.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He shouted at the raven haired girl.

"You were pretty dozed off. Don't agree with my waking methods?" She teased.

"Well don't pull that shit again." Gohan warned.

"Okay, Lord Grumpiness." Videl joked. "Anyways, we're headed off to lunch."

Oh, great, now he was going to have to socialize with these guys. To make matters worse, the food definitely wasn't going to even come close to filling his Saiyan appetite. Gohan stepped into the crowded cafeteria and took a spot in the lunch line. He looked over at the tray presented in front of him and snorted in annoyance. What was this, a TV dinner? Gohan snatched it off the counter, and just as he was about to turn to walk off, a familiar face was blocking his way.

"Didn't think you would see me again, huh?" It was Stapler. Videl saw the face off and stood up, checking it out. She was worried about Gohan's safety.

Gohan _really_ didn't feel like dealing with this. Gohan's eyes narrowed in anger and he shot Stapler a glare that would outshine even Vegeta's. "Take it to the heart when I tell you that I am _not _in the mood for your bullshit. Cut out your stupid little tough guy act, because if you haven't noticed, it's really starting to piss me off. And trust me; _neither_ of us would like the result of that. Now get out of my fucking face." Gohan said in a dangerously calm voice. Stapler took his warning seriously and shifted to the right, looking mortified.

The normally noisy cafeteria fell silent. Did this palm tree haired guy really just stand up to and scare the ever loving shit out of the toughest guy in school? Many people made mental notes _never_ to mess with that kid again. Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa looked at their new acquaintance with their mouths gaping open. Stapler was shaking as he walked away.

"Th-that guy, man, that look in his eyes." He rambled to nobody in particular. "It was like starin' into the eyes of the devil himself!"

Gohan glanced at the trio before walking out of the cafeteria and up to the roof. Videl didn't know what to say.

_Okay, Gohan, you've captured my interest._


	2. Belligerent Sexual Tension

Gohan figured that the roof would be the best escape from the annoying cafeteria. He was fuming after his encounter with that idiot, Stapler. The stupid school was already pushing him to the limits of his patience after just two periods and that moron managed to strike a nerve. Tossing his loss tray to the side, Gohan looked to the bright morning early afternoon sky tensely. He didn't want to be at that stupid school; it was only making him angrier. And of course, in his frustration, his figurative finger of blame turned to one person. Gohan looked to the heavens.

_I hope you're having fun, dad. _ Gohan thought bitterly. _It's your fault I'm in this mess._

As the thoughts crept their ways to the complex conscious of the half Saiyan, he began raising his Ki to cope with his anger. The wind built up around him, sending various discarded sheets of paper and rocks flying around him. Gohan cursed his fate; when he was finally released from school, the first thing he was doing was going to Capsule Corp. The only thing he ever looked forward to nowadays was "sparring" with Vegeta. Well, they weren't really spars as much as they were wars. Gohan wasn't the type that was into self-mutilation, but his violent, painful fights were a nigh-blissful release from his frustration. Vegeta had informed him that during a Saiyan's pubescent years, their thirst for battle grows and they become more restless when they don't get it. Trying to suppress the urge is taxing on one's sanity, he was told. Gohan never really liked fighting prior to his fights with Vegeta, but the Saiyan Prince's habits and tactics were starting to rub off on him. He was becoming more and more of a "delinquent," as Chi-Chi always liked to call it, but the thought didn't really bother him that much.

Videl, Erasa, and Sharpner still couldn't believe what they saw. This new kid was such an enigma. He didn't look like the toughest guy out there, but that look on his eyes would've probably made the most deranged of horror movie villains squirm in agony. If only for a few seconds, Gohan had successfully managed to claim the title of scariest fourteen year old in the world.

"What is up with that guy? I thought he was just a scrawny little nerd, but man, I damn near wet myself when I caught that look in his eyes." Sharpner mused, not even caring how embarrassing that statement was.

"Well it's like what they say, 'Beware the nice ones.'" Erasa said. "Man, he's such a badass!"

Videl rolled her eyes. Still, she wanted to know more about this Son Gohan, like what fueled his edgy disposition, and if he really was this big tough guy that could make Stapler of all people think he was staring into the eyes of Satan (the one with the horns, not the 'fro). Videl stood up. "I think we should check on him, y'know, to make sure he's okay."

"No way, he'll probably go psycho on us!" Sharpner whined.

Erasa gave her longtime friend a sly smile. "And what has you so interested in him, huh Videl?"

"I'm just curious, is all! Now come on!" Videl rushed to the roof of the building. Erasa followed, but not before dragging Sharpner with her. Videl opened the door leading to the roof but was immediately blown back by some strong gust. She managed to stay on her feet, but she took every step with caution. What was this wind about? It was still summer, it shouldn't be this windy outside already. Videl looked at the various objects floating around the roof. It was a very peculiar sight – they all seemed to be headed toward one thing. She turned in the direction of the items and was surprised by what she saw.

_Gohan…? Is he the one causing that?_ The wind suddenly came to an abrupt stop as the perpetrator of it all sighed in annoyance. He felt the presence of the trio and lowered his Ki back to its neutral level. Just one, _one_ fucking moment of peace and quiet was all he asked for, but nope. They just had to follow. Gohan turned around to his acquaintances. His scowl wasn't nearly as mortifying as the one he directed at Stapler, but it was still intimidating, to say the least. All three of them took a nervous step back.

Gohan groaned. "Must you three bother me, _again_?"

"We just wanted to see if you were okay." Erasa said. She walked closer to Gohan. "It was SO cool how you scared off Stapler like that. You've got the whole school thinking you're a badass! I like bad boys myself!"

Gohan rolled his eyes. This girl was horny 24/7. That was the only plausible explanation. "I'm obviously fine. Now can you all _leave_?"

Sharpner squeaked nervously. "See, he's got things under control." He bowed to Gohan with forced politeness. "Sorry to disturb you, bye!" With that, Sharpner raced back downstairs at a speed he didn't even know was capable of.

"All badasses need time to themselves occasionally. See ya later Gohan!" Erasa said before going back downstairs.

Gohan looked at Videl expectantly. _Well, are you gonna leave now?_ Videl stared at Gohan's dark, black eyes, trying to figure this guy out. "Gohan…" She finally said.

"WHAT?" Gohan snapped. He really didn't feel like talking to her.

Videl's blue eyes narrowed. "No need to be so damn standoffish all of the time, seesh!" She sneered. "I just wanted to see if you were okay. Nobody's ever talked to Stapler that way, he could break the bones of any given person in this school besides me."

Gohan laughed, but there was no humor in it. "Well that obviously made no difference to me." Gohan's eyes returned to their usual piercing gaze. "Now leave."

Videl snorted. Who did he think he is, thinking he could bark orders? She just about had it with his attitude. "Listen buddy, I don't know what stupid little problem's got you acting all emo, but you better stop right now, or else I'll _make _you!"

Gohan growled in pure anger. _Nobody_ belittled his problems like that. "I'M SICK OF HEARING YOUR DAMN VOICE! NOW JUST GET THE FUCK **OUT!**" He screamed. In his rage, his eyes had turned into a teal color.

Videl scowled at Gohan before swiftly turning around and leaving, not even noticing the change in eye color. She marched her way downstairs. The nerve of that guy! She wanted to tear apart the first thing she saw resembling a palm tree. Videl walked to the table where her two friends were at and slammed her fists on it before letting out a frustrated shriek.

"Jeez, Videl, what's got your panties in a twist?" Sharpner joked.

"I don't want to even _think_ about that jackass!" Videl howled.

Erasa covered her mouth to hide her laughter. "Looks like someone's hormones are running wild."

Videl glared at the airhead before grabbing her stuff and storming off.

Gohan was pacing around like a lunatic on the roof. He was livid! He wanted to just say to hell with it and blow the whole damn school up. Everything about it irritated him to no end. And that girl, Videl! What the hell was her problem? She was looking at him all weird, and then she made a mockery of him. He knew it was wrong to want to hurt her, but dammit, she was making it so tempting. _Calm down, Gohan. You're no different from Cell with those kinds of thoughts_. His inner conscience reasoned. Gohan let out a long exhale to cool himself off before gathering his things and walked back down to the cafeteria. This day was going on for way too long.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, a certain Saiyan Prince was just coming back from his afternoon training session as he stepped in the living room. He was heading to the kitchen to get himself a snack when something his wife and son were watching caught his interest.<p>

_The Gold Fighter struck again this morning, taking out a trio of criminals who are believed to be responsible for a series of robberies. The identity of this wild haired hero is unknown, but many eye witnesses said he resembled the infamous Delivery Boy from the Cell Games. But onto another report – Do capsules drive you insane? You may be surprised by the answer._

"Wow, Gohan's so cool!" The miniature Trunks said.

"Yeah, he's a real crime fighter, huh?" Bulma added.

Vegeta grunted at the report. "What a waste, he could be doing something so much more useful with his powers than wasting them on small fry."

Bulma turned around to look at her husband. "Yeah, I guess, but whatever lets him take out his aggression is fine by me."

"Hn."

"Y'know, I'm really worried about the guy. He's practically become a clone of you." Bulma said, concerned.

Vegeta smirked. "I don't see the problem with that. I actually like the brat now that he's not all soft anymore. I've obviously set a good example for the boy."

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Right, whatever you say, my sweet Prince."

* * *

><p>Gohan and Videl both returned to their lockers, doing their best to avoid glancing at each other but failing miserably. They both wanted to rip the other apart, except one of them was actually very capable of doing that while the other was just going off their own ignorance. They both walked to their next class, Biology, together in complete silence, yet for some reason were walking side-by-side anyway. The tension could be cut with a Ki-Blade; the two belligerent black haired fighters were trying to intimidate the other with their mere presence alone. Erasa and Sharpner were looking on like spies.<p>

"Oh, they're so cute when they're mad." Erasa joked.

Sharpner rolled his eyes. "I don't see how you could see anything close to a relationship between the two."

"Oh, really? The sexual tension is _so _obvious." The gossipy blonde replied.

Sharpner raised an eyebrow. That chick was so clueless sometimes.

Gohan once again had to share another class with the pig tailed monster from hell, although thankfully without Erasa and Sharpner there to egg them on. Gohan took a seat with his arms folded to his chest, and Videl did the same next to him. They listened to their teachers' introduction in silence. A few minutes into class, he announced the homework assignment to the collective groans of the entire class. Videl yawned. "Heh, I know a website that has all of the answers anyway, so who cares."

Gohan turned to her and smirked. "So I see you actually are useful in _some _areas."

Videl smirked right back at him. "Hey, I'm rich as hell, I've got connections you're not even aware of."

Gohan took a good look into her blue eyes. He had to admit, although she tested his patience, she _was_ pretty attractive, and he thought the pigtails were stylish. Videl raised an eyebrow at his staring, and Gohan blushed and quickly turned back to the board, realizing he was getting too lost in thought. They didn't say any more words to each other for the rest of the period but they _did_ sneak glances at each other when the other wasn't looking. Finally the bell rang and Gohan went to his History class, where he was thankfully away from Videl and the two blondes. Gohan used that class to get some much needed rest.

Unfortunately, his peace didn't last because he spent the next two classes with the Terrible Trio anyway. Erasa constantly brought up the nonexistent sexual tension between Gohan and Videl. If there was one thing Gohan and Videl agreed on, it was that Erasa's voice box needed to be yanked from her throat at some point. There was only one last period left in the day, which would be the true test for Gohan: P.E.

* * *

><p>Gohan groaned as he wondered how he was going to hide his powers. Hell, part of him didn't particulary give a shit and didn't even want to even try to hold back in whatever activity they were going to do just so he could show everyone, most importantly Videl, that he was not one to be fucked with. But logic won out; he couldn't reveal that important bit of information. Sure, people would be scared of him and he'd get peace and quiet, but it'd only be temporary because it'd surely get out to the media, which would bring even more attention to him. He wanted to spare his friends from the eye of the press as well. Gohan kept on his big shirt but switched into a pair of sweatpants. He stepped out onto the field with the rest of the class and felt something peculiar. He was sensing a familiar Ki approaching the field.<p>

"Welcome, class!" Their coach said. "I'm Coach Wakamoto and today we'll be playing Baseball. And we've got a special guest with us, too! You may know him as the All-Star from the Taitans, the great YAMCHA!"

Gohan felt a lump form in his throat. _Just great_, he thought. Someone who knows him who'll throw more attention to him – that was _just_ what he needed. Yamcha stepped over to the excited group with a big grin on his face.

"So how're you doin' today class! I'm here to offer some words of advice and watch you all play and-" Yamcha noticed a familiar face in the crowd of students. "Oh, hey Gohan, what's up, man!"

All eyes turned to the spiky haired kid who looked extremely uncomfortable. The whispers were already going around as people were surprised to discover Yamcha and the new kids were apparently friends.

"It's been too long, kiddo, how are you doing?" Yamcha asked.

Gohan groaned. "I've been better."

The scar faced warrior/baseball star looked confused until he remembered Bulma telling him about Gohan's extreme change in attitude. _Poor guy,_ Yamcha thought, _I guess he really hasn't taken Goku's death very well._

Videl raised an inquiring eyebrow to Gohan. _Wait, he knows Yamcha the Bandit on a first name basis? I wonder what other wild things are going on with Gohan?_

For about 10 minutes, Yamcha gave a little clichéd speech about trying your best and all of that good stuff and then answered ridiculous questions. After that, they all went out to the baseball field to set up a game of ball. Gohan ended up on the team that was batting, as he wondered how hard he ought to swing as to not give away his freakish strength. He already had more attention than he was comfortable with surrounding him throughout the day and the last thing he needed was even more. Soon enough, it was his turn to bat. Gohan stepped up to the plate and got into the standard crouching position. _What should I do? I don't want to look like a little wimp by getting hit and walking. I guess I'll just drop my power level by a lot and go from there. _Sharpner, the pitcher, wanted to see how tough Gohan really was, so he threw the hardest pitch he had. Gohan saw the blurred white sphere storming at him and took a swing.

He knocked it right out of the fucking park and possibly into the solar system.

Gohan slapped his forehead. _Son of a bitch! So much for lowering my power level!_

The class all looked at Gohan with similarly dilated eyes. Yamcha wasn't surprised at all, and just laughed instead. "Damn, Gohan, there's nothing you can't do!"

Sharpner was frozen in his throwing position. Yeah, this guy wasn't just talk. Videl temporarily forgot how to speak. Erasa, on the other hand, was in love! _Although I don't want to get into a fight with Videl over him…_

Gohan scratched the back of his head. Not wanting to draw any more attention to himself, he decided walking to the bases was the best option. Soon, he got his team their first home run. The rest of the game went by smoothly, and Gohan decided just getting hit by the ball and walking was the best option. At the end, his team won, and that class learned a very important lesson: don't fuck with Son Gohan!

Videl walked back to the locker room, trying to process what in the world she just saw. Gohan was a bonafide freak! Knocking that ball several thousand feet into the sky wasn't just luck; he really was as tough as he let on! She made a mental note to at least _try_ to stay on his good side from now on. Gohan came back from the locker room dressed back up and took a much needed deep breath. This Dende forsaken day was a true test of his mental stability. He walked to his locker room, getting the last of his materials, and was approached by Sharpner.

"Hey, man, did you ever think about joining the weight lifting club?" He asked.

"Not interested." Gohan said.

"Yeah," Erasa cut in, "He doesn't have time for clubs anyway. He has to take a long ride back home. Speaking of which, Gohan, can I come with you? I'm sure you and me could have some _fun_."

Gohan grimaced. He knew what three letters _really_ spelled fun when it came from this maniac's mouth. "Uh…no, I'll just go by myself." Gohan said before walking away.

"See ya tomorrow, Gohan!" Erasa called out.

Gohan walked out of the school. At last, it was over, at least for today. He hated it, but at least he didn't need to see that damned place until tomorrow morning. He walked around until he found a suitable place where nobody could see him. However, he felt like he was being watched. He did a Ki scan, and felt a Ki that was above average by human standards. _It must be Videl. Goddammit, what's the deal with her? Can't she just leave me alone for one day?_ Gohan walked away from the spot he was in and felt the Ki signature follow him along the way. He let out an annoyed sigh.

Videl backed up against the wall. _I'm going to find out exactly how you get home, Gohan. The baseball game showed that there's obviously a lot of weird stuff going on with you and I'm gonna find out for myself._

Gohan turned away from Videl's line of sight and she ran after him…only to find that he wasn't there. She looked all over the place, but there wasn't even a trace! _That's weird…what is he, a ninja? But I didn't see any smoke…_

Up from the rooftop, a certain spiky haired warrior was looking down at her, almost in pity. "That chick has got a few screws loose, that's for certain." Once he was sure that she ran away, he flew back home.

* * *

><p>Gohan descended to the ground in front of his house where he was damn near bum rushed by Goten.<p>

"GOHAN! You're back! I was so bored without you!"

Gohan gave his little brother his first genuine smile all day. "I hope you didn't go too crazy, squirt!"

"Good afternoon, son! How was your first day at school?" Chi-Chi asked from the door.

"Hell." Was Gohan's simple response. He brushed past her and went to his room. He changed into his purple Gi and blue writstbands & belt, as he had an edge to take off and Vegeta was just the person to assist him in that department. He came back downstairs, where Chi-Chi confronted him.

"And just where are you going?" She asked.

"Capsule Corp." Gohan replied.

Chi-Chi knew exactly what that meant. She was opposed to Gohan fighting, but Bulma had explained that he really needed it right now, so she had no arguments. "Oh, I see. Well, be safe!"

Gohan nodded before flying off. He headed to West City, but heard a bunch of gunshots along the way. He descended to the city area, where he felt a familiar presence. There was another crime scene going on, and Gohan scanned the area and was surprised to see who was fighting the bad guys.

_Videl?_ Gohan thought to himself. _What the hell is she doing out there?_

Videl was doing her best to take on the two big guys, but their size advantage was too much for her. Gohan could see that she was having a hard time keeping up, so he figured it was best he cut in and took care of this mess. He slipped into a corner and went Super Saiyan. One of the guys managed to get Videl in a headlock and then drove his elbow into her stomach. Videl shrieked in pain as she tried to squirm out of his iron grip but it was no use. The other guy raised his gun and was about to pull the trigger until a figure surrounded by golden aura kicked the gun out of his grip. He looked up and was about to protest until he was kicked into a building by the so-called "Gold Fighter." The other guy lunged at Gohan, but was met with a brutal punch to the face that knocked him flat. For good measure, Gohan grabbed him by the collar and smashed the bad guy's skull with his own. He tossed him down like he was garbage. Videl was shocked. She was witnessing the Gold Fighter in all of his spiky, bright glory. He turned to face Videl, who was now even more surprised by the face before her.

_I-It's him…! The Delivery Boy!_ It was like he dropped in from her wildest dreams to save her from what could've been her darkest hour. She was mesmerized as she stared at his shining muscular body, eyeing him up and down while oblivious to how uncomfortable she was making her feel with his ogling. She quickly regained her composure, although that was nearly impossible at the moment. The only words she could muster were a simple "Thank you."

Gohan nodded and flew off. Videl looked up at him, her cheeks a deep crimson red. _He's soooooooo cool. _She said to herself while her mind drifted into various inappropriate fantasies involving him. it was like she was a little girl again.

Gohan winced. Jeez, what was up with Videl? She was looking at him like a fucking fangirl or something. Gohan groaned when it finally dawned on him:

Videl had a crush on the Delivery Boy!


	3. Familiarity

Gohan let out a deep sigh. Why him? It was obvious with how Videl was gawking at him that she was attracted to him. Now he understood how those damn super heroes in the comic books felt like. Gohan tried to forget about his little encounter with Videl and blasted off at an even higher speed to Capsule Corp. When he saw the familiar yellow cylinder he descended to the ground and knocked on the front door. He impatiently tapped his foot until he heard a familiar voice come in over the intercom.

"Who is this?" The voice asked.

"Hey, Bulma! It's Gohan!" The golden haired Saiyan answered.

"Oh! Well come on in, kiddo!" Bulma said. She opened up the door and motioned for him to enter. "So I see you're here for another pain session with Vegeta, eh?" Bulma teased. Gohan rolled his eyes and walked into the living room, where the hyperactive Trunks greeted him by the tackling him to the floor.

"Gohan, Gohan, Gohan! You haven't been here in a while! How've you been?" He screamed.

Gohan swatted him off of him. "I'm fine." Bulma laughed and walked towards the two half Saiyans. "So, how was your first day at school, Gohan?"

Gohan frowned. "I've had much better days." He replied.

Bulma gave him a sympathetic smile. "Don't worry, kid, it'll get better, I promise."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Gohan said, warily.

"Trust me, I was in your shoes back when I was a teenager; sitting through class being taught subjects I already mastered when I was in single digits. But don't worry, you'll learn to deal with it." Bulma advised.

Gohan nodded. If there was one grown-up who understood him, it was the blue haired woman in front of him.

"Gohan, I heard about you on the news!" Trunks said excitedly. "You beat up a bunch of bad guys!"

"Oh yeah, about that." Gohan said, turning to Bulma. "Vegeta wasn't the only reason why I came here. I don't want people at school who are savvy on the Cell Games footage to look at me when I'm 'The Gold Fighter' and put two and two together." What he really meant was that he didn't want Videl drooling over him, but that was a good explanation, too.

"Can't you just go higher than Super Saiyan? Your hair changes even more that way, right?" Bulma said.

"Yeah, that's true…but, I have a hard time controlling myself in that form. It'd do more harm than good." Gohan concluded, his head turned down to the floor.

"I understand. I'll try to come up with something. It should be ready by the time you and Vegeta are done fighting." Bulma declared.

"Thanks, Bulma." Gohan said, with a small smile on his face.

"Ah, so I see you're back, brat." A deep, gruff voice said. The three turned around to see their favorite flame haired Saiyan warrior with his arms folded to his chest and an arrogant smirk across his face. Gohan smirked right back at him.

"Of course, Vegeta."

"Just know that what happened last week won't happen again." Vegeta snarled. Although he and Gohan's brawls never had an official winner or loser, it was easy to tell who put up the better fight and who was less beat up. More often than not, Gohan would be the "winner," which irritated Vegeta to no end. Vegeta turned around to walk to the gravity room, where Gohan followed. He entered in the password and opened the door to the large, circular white room. After turning the gravity up to 300 Gs, Vegeta transformed into a Super Saiyan. "Prepare yourself, brat." Vegeta said before getting into a fighting stance. Gohan nodded, raised his aura, and got into a stance of his own. He lunged…

* * *

><p>Gohan and Vegeta both left the gravity room a battered and bloody mess. Gohan once again "won," which explained the irritated scowl on Vegeta's face. Gohan felt a lot better after the fight; sure, his day still sucked, but at least he got to shed some good ol' fashioned blood. Gohan's entire purple gi was torn off, leaving his bloodied up torso out in the open. He found Bulma and Trunks, who were sitting in her lab.<p>

"I see you two beat the crap out of each other yet again." Bulma remarked.

"Yup. Do you have a Senzu bean?" Gohan asked.

Bulma already had the bean in hand and tossed it to Gohan, who gladly ate it. He felt the energy surge back into him, and his wounds were instantly healed. "So, did you figure out a disguise for me?" Gohan asked.

Bulma's face lit up. "I sure did, kiddo! Check out this watch." Bulma handed Gohan a fancy gold wristwatch, which he put on. "Now just press the button and your costume will switch to something brand new!"

Gohan pressed the button, and in an instant, he was now wearing a red helmet, a green tunic, a black body suit, and white gloves and boots. Gohan looked in the mirror and, needless to say, he did not like what he was seeing in front of him.

_Wow, Gohan looks like a total geek._ Trunks thought.

"Uh…on second thought, I'm not that worried about being caught as much." Gohan said weakly.

Bulma laughed. "Yeah, I thought you'd say that. Just press the button and you'll switch back to your previous attire."

Gohan pressed the switch and handed the watch back over to Bulma. "At the very least, could you set it so that it changes to my purple gi and pants? That way, nobody would get suspicious of my clothes."

"Sure thing!" Bulma said. "I'll have it by tomorrow!"

"Thanks." Gohan said before leaving the compound. He flew high up in the sky, headed to Dende's lookout. _Mom'll probably flip when she sees how messed up my clothes are._ Gohan flew straight up, blasting past Korin's tower and was soon at the edge of Dende's illustrious lookout, where he was greeted by his two Namekian friends.

"Hey, Gohan." Dende said. He knew there was no need in being extra cheery around Gohan nowadays.

"Hello, Dende." Gohan replied.

"What did you come for, kid?" Piccolo asked.

"Just a new set of clothes is all." Gohan replied.

Piccolo smirked. "No problem." He raised a hand, and out of thin air Gohan had a fresh new purple gi and pants, free of any blood stains or tears. "Thank you, Piccolo."

"So I see you've become something of a defender of justice." Piccolo said, with a wider smirk.

Gohan scoffed at that. "The bullets just annoy me, that's all."

"Whatever you say, kid."

"Later, Piccolo." Gohan said before flying back down to the lower realm. He arrived at his house, where the door was already open. Gohan immediately ran up to him.

"Gohan! Did you kick Vegeta's butt again?" He asked eagerly.

Gohan patted him on the head. "Of course I did, little guy!"

Goten laughed before running back up to his room. Chi-Chi walked up to her son.

"So, is my young crime fighter hungry?" She asked.

Gohan groaned. "Not you too, mom." He whined. "And no, not really; I think I'll go to bed." And with that, Gohan went upstairs, changed into a pair of boxers, and got some much needed sleep. It was a long fucking day and he needed to wake up early anyway so he could go to Capsule Corp and get his watch.

* * *

><p>Gohan awoke the next day, blasting his latest alarm clock to bits upon getting out of bed. He let out a loud yawn before heading to the shower. Afterwards, he slipped into another large shirt, this time white, shirt and a black pair of jeans and flew to West City through his window. He arrived at his destination, where Bulma was already at the balcony of her room and smoking a cigarette.<p>

"I see you're up early, Gohan." She said.

Before Gohan could say a word he saw a Ki blast fly in his direction. He swatted it down, causing it to blast into the ground. He looked up and scowled in the direction that the blast came from. "Hey, what the hell was that?"

Bulma giggled. "Oh, that's Vegeta! He's still pissed about yesterday."

"Figures. So, do you have the watch?' Gohan asked.

Bulma held it up. "Right here!" She tossed it up to Gohan, who caught it with ease. "Have a great day!"

"Thanks again." Gohan turned around and flew off to Satan City. He arrived at Satan City and slowly exhaled to prepare himself for another trip to straight to hell. Gohan walked through the various students getting to the class and got to his locker. He took out his books for the next two periods, and before he was about to close it, Videl arrived.

"Good morning, Lord Grumpy." She said sarcastically.

"Hn."

"Look, about yesterday…it's clear we got off at the wrong foot. I'm sorry I acted a little mean to you." She said with sincerity.

However, Gohan was buying it. He narrowed his eyes at her in suspicion. "You're just saying that because you're scared of me, aren't you?"

Videl scoffed at the accusation. "Gohan, that's not why, I just-"

Gohan slammed his locker shut. "Don't say anything more, you're already irritating me. If you wanted to make me feel more uncomfortable, then congratulations." He sneered. He turned around and walked to his homeroom.

Videl growled at her aggressor. "You distrustful little prick. Good luck not having any friends!" Gohan turned back around and gave her that same glare that had Stapler crapping his pants. Videl's lips curled back as she immediately regretted blurting that out. _He's gonna kill me, isn't he? Oh God, I'm only 14, I don't wanna die in front of all of these people!_ To her relief, he merely turned around and walked to their class at a quicker pace. Videl sighed and made a note to keep some of her comments to herself more often. She was still interested in finding out more about Gohan, especially what's made him so distrustful and hostile towards everyone. Videl marched over to her seat in the classroom where she was greeted by Erasa and Sharpner. Gohan was already situated in his seat, and already looked like he was irritated, probably from something dumb Erasa said.

"Ah, so both of our lovebirds have arrived!" Erasa joked.

Gohan growled loudly and buried his face in his book, while Videl turned and glared at her gossipy friend.

"So, Gohan, are you gonna kick ass in baseball again?" Sharpner asked.

Gohan yawned. "Whatever." He mumbled before slouching in his seat.

"Jeez, Gohan, you look exhausted. What were you doing yesterday?" Erasa asked.

"Nothing of your concern." Gohan said through another yawn.

Videl snuck a glance at Gohan before facing forward. For some reason, seeing him reminded her of her encounter with the Delivery Boy yesterday. _He was so dreamy. _Videl said, her eyes now half open. She didn't even realize Erasa was trying to talk to her.

"Uh, hello, Earth to Videl, I'm talking to you!" Erasa exclaimed.

Videl snapped back to reality and wiped the drool from her chin. "Oh, sorry, Erasa. You were saying?"

"Having a daydream, I see?" She teased. "But anyway, I heard about you on the news yesterday – you got rescued by the Gold Fighter! Was he as hot as they said he was?"

"Oh, Erasa, you have to see him up close!" She said with a bright shine in her eyes. "He's _so_ dreamy!"

"Wow, it's rare for Videl to have such a girly moment." Sharpner joked.

Gohan let out a very loud groan upon hearing that. Yup, that confirmed it. _I should've just put on the stupid ass costume._ The trio turned to Gohan in surprise.

"Gohan, what's got you so mad?" Erasa asked. "You're not _jealous_ are you?"

Gohan grunted in response. _If you only knew._

"Oh please, he's angry about everything!" Videl cut in. Gohan gave her a patented Vegeta Death Glare™, but the only person scared was Sharpner. He shrieked so loud you would've thought it was Erasa and not him. Videl shifted her weight back to the front of the class. Gohan absolutely hated having to put up with her already, although something in him was kinda attracted to the fire that was always in her eyes. Gohan pushed those thoughts in the back of his mind and leaned back with both of his hands resting on the back of his head. The rest of the class went on without confrontation.

The bell rang and Gohan now headed to his favorite class – Algebra. Not because of any particular interest he had in the subject, but because after yesterday's display, he surely earned his ticket to sleep without protest. Gohan took a seat and slumped right into his desk to catch his morning Z's. The bell rang, and this time Gohan actually woke up to it, much to Videl's relief, because she was almost about to slam the book on his desk again, which would've likely signed off her death warrant.

* * *

><p>Gohan walked into the cafeteria, the sight of his already infamous confrontation with Stapler. He earned a few glances from several of the students, some in apprehension, others in affirmation. As he walked to the lunch line, Stapler suddenly jumped in front of him. Gohan glared at him.<p>

"N-No, please don't kill me!" He frantically shouted. "H-here, man, a peace offering!" He placed a few Zeni bills and coins in Gohan's hand and bowed in feigned politeness. Gohan rolled his eyes and brushed past him. The sight dumbfounded the rest of the students. Never had they seen Stapler act so cowardly to someone, especially someone the size of Gohan. The half Saiyan grabbed another glorified TV Dinner and headed to the roof for some solitude.

Gohan tossed his tray to the ground and stood on the edge of his roof, once again staring to sky. The wind gathered around him again as Gohan grit his teeth and stammered a bit. He still didn't understand his father's decision. Sure, he claimed it was because he attracted too many villains, but Gohan saw right through the bullshit. He knew his father like a book. Gohan knew that Goku was just looking for whatever dumb excuse to go off and get a good fight; he was a Saiyan, after all. His first priority over _anything_, even his own family, was fighting great opponents. Gohan sneered at the thought. The nerve of his dad to leave behind his own son and mother just for a few brawls and claiming the title as the strongest dead guy, as if that meant shit – it angered him greatly. Gohan looked at one cloud in particular that caught his interest. Its shape was rather familiar. Slowly, its image began changing. The cloud formed into a head with two green horn-like appendages, and a face that he would never forget…

_Cell!_

The image was clear as day – Cell, in his perfect form, wearing a maddening smirk. He laughed arrogantly. "Son Gohan, you're so pathetic! Whining over your father's death! How pitiful!"

Gohan crouched defensively. "S-shut up!"

Meanwhile, Videl got a bad feeling about Gohan, who was up on the roof. She got up from the table and turned to the door leading to the roof. "Uh, I've gotta go to the bathroom." She lied. The pigtailed girl ran to the door and marched upstairs and opened the roof entrance. She was once again met with a strong gust of wind that knocked her on her butt. She looked up and saw Gohan in a crouching position.

_What's he doing?_

"I-I'll kill you again!" Gohan shouted to the sky.

"Uh uh uh! You wouldn't want to do that again, Son Gohan!" The image of Cell said in a mocking tone. "Knowing you, you'll just get another one of your loved ones killed again! Who will it be this time, your mother?"

Oh, that did it. Gohan lunged forward at the image that was object of his rage. "CELL!" It was too late, the image vanished. Gohan descended back to the ground and collapsed on his hands and knees. He was shaking violently.

_D-did he just shout out Cell's name? Was he having some sort of hallucination or something?_

Gohan let out a cry of agony and smashed his fists into the ground repeatedly. Videl took a step forward. _He needs help… _Gohan was crying rather loudly as the wind started blowing around violently. Videl was pushed back again, and this time she decided it was best to leave Gohan to himself. She slammed the roof's door shut and rushed back to the cafeteria. She took a seat and raised her hand to her chin in thought.

_I think I understand a little. The poor guy, something must've happened with Cell three years ago that's got him lashing out so much…_

* * *

><p>The sound of the door slamming was enough to snap Gohan out of it. He leapt up and instinctively raised an arm glowing with Ki. "Who's there?" He shouted. There was nobody around. Gohan glared at the closed door, already having a good idea of who it probably was. <em>Videl. Why the hell does she insist on bothering me?<em> Gohan wondered how much he saw, and the thought caused him to fiercely punch the door in front of him, leaving a good dent in it. Videl was really getting on his last nerve; she didn't know how to mind her own damn business. Gohan wiped the tears from his eyes, gathered his stuff, and walked back to the cafeteria. As he walked to the garbage, he tilted his head to Videl and glared at her again. Videl saw it in the corner of her eye and slumped her shoulders in shame.

_Oh no, he didn't see me back there, did he? Oh, Videl, what have you gotten yourself into?_ She wined to herself. The bell rang and Videl rushed over to her locker, hurriedly sorting her things out to avoid facing Gohan's wrath. But it was already too late. Gohan aggressively swung his locker door open to make his presence known and tossed his books in with notable force. Videl gave him an apprehensive glance, and he turned towards her, but opted to remain silent outside of an annoyed grunt. Videl walked behind him to Biology strategically trailing by a decent amount of steps to avoid annoying him. The guy had such an intimidating aura to him and she figured it was best to give him some space for now. But that still did nothing to lower her curiosity to find out more about the enigmatic boy and her determination to do so.

Gohan stepped in the class but was stopped by the teacher. He lifted a hand up, which was dripping with blood. "What happened to you, Son Gohan?"

Gohan gave a half-hearted shrug as he tried to remove his hand from her grip. "I dunno, probably slammed it on something." In his fit of rage he hadn't realized how hard he pounded his fist into the ground.

"Well you need to get to the nurse's office to have that fixed up." The teacher directed.

Gohan groaned. "I don't even know where it is."

"Videl will walk you to it." He replied.

Now both of them groaned. "Okay, whatever." Videl answered.

Gohan grunted and followed her lead out of the door. They walked together to the nurse's office in deafening silence. The tension was making Videl uncomfortable, although Gohan had no problem with it. However, he was curious about something, and against his better judgment, he decided to ask. "Do you have any concept of privacy, or are you just dumb?"

Videl was first taken aback at how he was actually starting a conversation but then immediately scowled at the condescending question. "You could ask nicely, you know."

"My question still stands."

Videl sighed. "Look, I just had a bad feeling about you. I decided to run up and see if you were alright. You looked pretty shook up about something." She decided to leave out the part about him shouting out Cell's name, figuring that to be the proverbial berserk button.

"Well don't be. My problems aren't any of your business." Gohan defensively replied.

"Why are you so dense? Everybody's not out to hurt you; some people just want to offer a helping hand – that's what friends are for." Videl argued.

Gohan snorted at the prospect of what she was saying. "I don't need them."

"You're obviously friends with a famous baseball player." Videl said.

"So?"

"I'm just saying, you could use another friend; another celebrity won't hurt." Videl smugly said.

Gohan rolled his eyes. This girl was definitely determined, he admitted. "That reminds me; your father, Mr. Satan – is he really as oafish as he lets on?"

Videl laughed. "Yeah, he an be a burden, but I've gotten used to him. But his arrogance can be so annoying sometimes!"

Gohan smirked. He remembered how everyone, even Piccolo and Krillin, said it was a pity that Cell couldn't have at least killed _him_.

"So, what's your dad like?" Videl asked.

Realizing that this conversation had crossed over into the uncomfortable zone, Gohan's face contorted back into a scowl and he looked off into the distance.

_I guess his dad is another sensitive subject…_

They finally arrived at the nurse's office, which was surprisingly empty for once. The black haired duo both walked up to the counter where Videl decided to do the talking.

"Gohan here's busted up his hand. Can we get it taped up or something?"

The nurse at the desk took a look at Gohan's right hand. "Oh my, that's pretty bad. Come with me, kid."

The lady got up and walked to the back, and Gohan did as asked and followed her. A few minutes later, Gohan came back out with a taped up right hand and walked past Videl. The pigtailed girl caught up pretty quickly.

"Man, Gohan, you're pretty tough to not even have noticed it until the teacher pointed out you were bleeding." Videl complimented.

Gohan shrugged. "I've felt way worse than this. What do you know?"

"I'll have you know I'm pretty tough myself." Videl replied.

Gohan suddenly turned and was now right in front of her with his arms folded over his chest. "Prove it." Gohan raised his palm up. "Punch my hand as hard as you can."

Videl arrogantly laughed at the challenge. "Whatever you say, Gohan, but don't cry when I make your hand need a cast instead of bandages." Videl pulled her arm back, and then swung her fist at Gohan's right palm with all of her might. The punch didn't even faze him. Videl was looked up and was surprised to see the half Saiyan looking down at her with an arrogant smirk. "B-but-"

"Pathetic."

He pushed her back and Videl wrung her hand a little bit. Gohan's hand was _hard_. _What the hell is he made out of?_ She looked at him with white hot fury, which made Gohan's smirk widened. Videl had to admit, something about him was very inviting when he looked so arrogant and prideful. _At least he wasn't angry_, she reasoned. "Whatever, jerk. Let's go."

"Whatever you say." Gohan turned around and walked back to class with Videl trailing behind him. They found their seats and went back to their seats in silence, although at one point Videl found herself staring at Gohan with her chin resting in her hand. _Gah! Get a hold of yourself, Videl! It's Gohan! He's still a prick!_ Videl argued with herself._ But a sexy one…_ Videl nearly shrieked as she frantically straightened up and folded her arms up to her chest. Thankfully, Gohan didn't seem to notice it. After another ringing of the bell they went their separate ways.

* * *

><p>The rest of the day breezed by fast. P.E. thankfully went without incident this time. Gohan figured it was best to not draw attention to himself by just not doing anything at all. They were playing dodgeball, a game where Gohan's involvement would <em>really<em> be risky, seeing as how he could probably tear limps off if he tossed the ball hard enough. He got himself eliminated fairly early in every round as he watched the rest of the students try to attack each other. He had to admit, it was pretty amusing seeing them play around like this. It reminded him of battles involving the firing of hundreds of Ki blasts. What caught his eyes was Videl's performance; she was doing an excellent job at avoiding most of the balls headed her way, and usually fired one at the students at the other side with impressive accuracy. She was a tough girl by human standards, he admitted. It was also enticing seeing her shimmy around, although that was another dumb thought that he pushed in the back of his mind.

After the game was headed, everyone headed back to the locker room to change. After that, Gohan walked upstairs to his locker to put his things away, where Videl came along.

"I bet you're not thinking I'm so pathetic after I kicked ass in dodgeball, huh?" She cockily asked.

Gohan shrugged, although a smirk crept up to his face. "Eh, it was alright."

Videl laughed. "Yeah, sure, Son Gohan." She punched him in the shoulder. "I guess I'll see you around." Videl ran off. Gohan shrugged at the realization that he and Videl were getting too familiar with each other. _Whatever, I don't care_. He thought before shutting his locker. Gohan left the school and found an abandoned alley for him fly from. He took off into the air and went to East City. He remembered his mom requested for him to retrieve some groceries from there because she was still scared after yet another encounter with a boar. He landed on the roof of the building and climbed down, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. He turned around and saw yet _another_ crime scene.

_Jeez, don't these morons ever give up?_ Gohan thought. He saw an air vehicle fly into the scene, and from it came Videl. _How did she get there so fast? Does she just go around sniffing the area for crime or something?_ Gohan looked at Videl get into action. Unlike yesterday, she was actually doing a good job at fighting these robbers off. One of them tried to punch her, but Videl gracefully backflipped to avoid it, sprung off of the ground via her hand, and caught the first guy with a roundhouse kick. She punched the other guy in the stomach and put him in a headlock, but he elbowed her in the stomach and ran to his truck to retrieve something. He came out with a machine gun and threateningly pointed at Videl.

"Don't move, bitch!"

Videl grit her teeth. _Dammit, what am I gonna do now? I can't let them get away!"_

Gohan sighed. Looks like it was time for him to get involved. He pressed the button on his wristwatch, which successfully switched his outfit to his purple Piccolo-inspired uniform. He flew over to the scene of the crime and chopped the guy behind Videl in the neck and then elbowed the man in front of her in the stomach. Videl squealed in delight. The Delivery Boy was back to her rescue her from the bad guys! She watched him impressively beat the criminal around like a plaything, finally punching him hard enough to the face to send him into the wall and plaster him on it.

"So, we meet again." Videl said, excitedly.

Gohan turned to her. "You have a knack for getting in trouble."

She was so elated she didn't even notice how his voice was identical to a certain socially maladjusted, black haired boy. "Well what can I say. But it's good when I have such _strong_ men to rescue me!"

Gohan rolled his eyes. How could a girl who's normally so level-headed turn into a drooling ditz at the drop of a hat over one guy? Before he could think anything else, Videl placed both of her hands on his shoulders. Gohan felt a bead of sweat trail down his forehead.

"Wh-what are you doing?" He frantically asked.

"I never got to thank you for yesterday." She said in a near whisper. She stood on her tip-toes and leaned forward. Her eyes were closed and her lips were puckered, ready to kiss the Gold Fighter. Thinking fast, Gohan grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back. Videl looked at her savior in disappointment.

"I…I have to go. I have, uh…other business to attend to." Gohan turned around and flew away, completely forgetting what the hell he came to the city for in the first place. Videl smirked at him. _Mark my words – I _will_ kiss you, Delivery Boy!_

Gohan buried his face in his hand. _Why the hell does Videl like my alter ego so damn much? _Gohan flew back home as fast he could.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The whole stuff about the Saiyaman costume wasn't meant to be a middle finger to that arc. I thought it was pretty funny and was a nice break from the usual seriousness that was present in the series at that point. I just wanted to show how different Gohan is in this fic.**


	4. Rejection

Gohan landed back home and came into his room through his window. He switched back to his original outfit and powered back down to his normal state. Today was weird; he didn't really consider Videl as a friend, but she was becoming very close to one. Not only was he more willing to interact with her, but she kept creeping up into his thoughts. Yes, she was attractive; but Bulma was, too, and yet he never thought of her in the way he did Videl. To make matters worse, she had a weird crush on his alter ego, the Gold Fighter. She didn't seem like the type to just fawn over any random guy she met because he looked good. Whatever crush she had on Gohan's Super Saiyan form must've had a story behind it. He was wearing the same uniform he had on when he fought Cell – maybe she had a longstanding crush on the so-called "Delivery Boy" and recognized him. Gohan ran a hand down his face and shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts.

Gohan headed downstairs to the surprise of his mother. "Oh, Gohan, I didn't see you come in. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mom." Gohan answered.

"So, have you met any pretty girls at school yet?" She inquired.

Gohan's cheeks went red. "No, mom, can you stop asking about that?" Yeah, he had one particular pig-tailed girl in mind when he heard the question but he would never say it out loud.

Chi-Chi laughed. "Whatever you say, son. So, are you hungry?"

"Actually, yeah. I haven't eaten all day; that lunch food is trash." Gohan replied.

"Well I wouldn't want my son catching any disease from that horrible food. Just wait in the living room while I get something ready."

Gohan nodded. He took a seat on the couch, looking down at his brother, who was taking a nap. Gohan turned the TV on, and saw the News reporting on the Gold Fighter. Gohan rolled his eyes and changed the channel…where they were talking about the same thing. Gohan sighed. _Don't these guys have actual important stuff to talk about? _Gohan decided to turn to the cartoons instead, where some show about some fighters with crazy hairstyles was on. In the current episode, one of the kids was fighting the bad guy but screwed up big time, forcing his father to step in. His dad ended up getting critically injured. Gohan groaned.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Gohan muttered. It was like the television was set to Torment Gohan mode.

"GOHAN! What did I tell you about using that kind of language?" Chi-Chi yelled from the kitchen.

"Sorry, mom." Gohan replied.

"You're lucky Goten wasn't awake to hear that. I don't want him picking up on your bad habits!" Chi-Chi scolded.

Gohan slammed the back of his head on the wall. He did _not_ feel like getting into another argument with his mom. He decided to drop it, letting out an annoyed grunt and folding his arms across his chest. He overheard his mom saying something about him becoming like Vegeta or something like that. Gohan rolled his eyes and turned the TV off altogether. A few minutes later, his mom called again…

"Your food's ready, Gohan!"

Gohan got off the couch and went to the table where several plates of delicious food were laid out for him. Gohan's mouth salivated. Now _this_ was a meal! Gohan grabbed the chopsticks and gobbled up his food in near record setting time.

"Wow, Gohan, you really were hungry!" Chi-Chi said in astonishment.

"Thank you for the meal, mom." Gohan said. He headed back upstairs and closed the door to his room.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, at a large mansion in Satan City, our favorite pigtailed girl was sitting at her desk looking at her homework. However, that wasn't on her mind at all. She twirled her pencil around the piece of paper below her; the only things occupying her thoughts were the Delivery Boy and strangely, Gohan. She had no idea that the latter being in her thoughts was an important piece of the puzzle. The Gold Fighter was the boy of her dreams. Her crush on him started from when she first saw him fight Cell. He wasn't any older than she was, yet he was fighting the most horrible monster to ever hit the Earth. She admired his bravery, and thought he was cute. It was her dream to one day meet him, and now that she had, she wanted more.<p>

And then there was Gohan. Yeah, he was hostile, cynical, and mean, but after what she saw on the roof, she knew there was more to him than that. Not to mention, he was damn handsome. She was admittedly drawn to the badboy type, not a wannabe like Sharpner, but someone who was legitimately badass. Gohan seemed to fit the description perfectly. She sighed in delight over the two new guys in her life before turning back to her homework.

* * *

><p>The next morning, everyone arrived at school. Gohan was putting his stuff away in his locker and then Videl playfully punched him in the shoulder. "Good morning, Scrooge."<p>

"Hn."

Videl hummed while she opened the door to her locker. Gohan raised an eyebrow at her behavior. "You seem unusually perky today."

Videl frowned. "What do you mean?"

Gohan rolled his eyes. He didn't want to dive into the subject any further. "Forget it." Gohan walked to his homeroom.

Videl caught up to him until they were walking side by side. "So, what have you been up to, lately?"

Gohan eyed her suspiciously. "And why do you care?"

Videl rolled her eyes. "It's called conversation, Gohan."

Gohan sighed and looked off to the side. "Nothing that'll interest you."

Videl frowned. She wished he would just talk more and realize everyone's not out to hurt him. "Okay, whatever you say, Gohan."

"Hn."

They arrived to class and Gohan and Videl sat in their usual seats.

"Good morning, Gohan!" Erasa greeted.

Gohan leaned back and folded his arms across his chest. He hated hearing her screeching voice all of the time. Erasa turned to Videl. "So I heard you and the Gold Fighter met again."

Gohan buried his head into the desk. He didn't want to hear this particular conversation. Videl blushed. "Yeah! I almost kissed him, but he flew away before I had the chance. He seemed really shy."

"Looks like you have a little crush." Erasa said.

Videl laughed. "Yeah, I guess."

Gohan let out a loud groan. He cursed his Saiyan hearing right now. Videl glanced at Gohan. _That's the second time he's acted annoyed when I brought up the Gold Fighter…strange._ Videl wondered if Gohan was hiding anything. Maybe he knew the Delivery Boy personally? Or maybe he was jealous? Videl laughed at the thought. _Not in a million years. He can hardly even stand me…_

"What's so funny?" Erasa asked.

Videl cut the laughter. "Oh, it's nothing."

* * *

><p>The homeroom and their Algebra class went on without incident, the latter mostly because Gohan was taking his daily nap. They soon headed out to lunch, and of course Gohan went to the roof away from the noisy cafeteria. For once, he actually managed to eat his lunch, as terrible as it was. He sat cross legged on the gravely surface of the roof as he closed his eyes, taking in the fresh breeze. The half-Saiyan's solitude was interrupted when he heard the door open. He didn't even bother to turn around, already knowing the Ki of the person who decided to join him.<p>

"What is it now, Videl?" Gohan asked in annoyance.

Videl stopped, surprised he already figured out that it was her. "I just wanted to see what you were up to."

"You've come up here every day during lunch since Monday. If you haven't figured it out yet, there's a _reason_ why I eat lunch on the damn rooftop." Gohan sneered.

"Because you're antisocial and don't feel like being around people, I know." Videl said matter-of-factly.

"Good job." Gohan said mockingly. "And now, don't you think you would be, I don't know, _disturbing_ me by coming up here _every fucking time,_ knowing I'd rather be left alone?"

"Oh, cut it out. Like I said, everybody needs a friend." Videl said.

"And like _I _said, I don't."

"Oh, hush." Videl said dismissively. "You're just gonna be angry for the rest of your life if you push away everyone who tries to reach out to you."

"What's the point? Whatever I have that could possibly make me happy is gone." Gohan answered in a low voice.

"Well, gee, I'm surprised you haven't offed yourself yet." Videl said, half-jokingly.

Gohan looked over his shoulder at her and shot her another one of his patented glares. "Why the hell would you insinuate that? I'm a lot of things, but an idiot isn't one of them."

Videl rolled her eyes at him. "Calm down, buddy, I'm joking."

Gohan grunted and turned back around. Videl took a seat behind him and at least for a minute, there was silence, much to Gohan's delight. But of course, just when Gohan was getting comfortable, Videl had to ruin it. "So…I've been wondering; how did you get so tough? You don't look like much. What's your work-out routine?"

Gohan laughed mockingly and turned around. An arrogant smirk found its way to his face. "'Don't look like much?' There's a reason why I wear my shirts so large." He pulled a sleeve up and flexed his muscle, causing Videl to gape at him in shock and amazement.

"O-oh…wow…" Was all she could manage to say. She never saw a boy her age so, well…ripped. Except for the Delivery Boy, of course. Gohan pulled his sleeve back down; he wasn't comfortable with the fawning when he was the Gold Fighter and he especially didn't like it now. Videl shook her head, remembering the question she originally asked. "Again…how do you work-out?"

Gohan frowned. "That's none of your concern."

Videl scowled. "Jeez, Gohan, do you want to keep _everything_ about you a secret?"

"Yes." He bluntly replied.

"Well you're not gonna be able to keep up with the mysterious act for long." Videl warned. Figuring he would just get mad again, she opted not to add in that _she_ would be the one to find out more about him. In her list of priorities, breaking Gohan's shell was at the top, right below kissing the Delivering Boy.

"I guess that's the case as long as I have annoying girls with pigtails breathing down my neck all of the time." Gohan sneered.

Videl's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hey, bucko, just because you're pretty tough doesn't mean I can't kick your ass if you piss me off. So keep the smart-ass comments to yourself, 'kay."

Gohan arrogantly chuckled. "Oh please, you're in no position to be delivering threats. Let's not go down this road again; we don't want a repeat of yesterday."

Videl glared at Gohan and bore her teeth at him. Gohan's mocking of her was setting off her short fuse. Gohan chuckled. He liked seeing her get so mad, so feisty. That fire in her eyes gave him a funny feeling in his chest. It was the toughness in her that made her so attractive to Gohan. Videl breathed, calming herself a little bit, until her eyes settled on the hand that she unsuccessfully punched yesterday. She was taken aback when she saw that the bandages were undone, leaving rather nasty looking scabs. She grabbed Gohan's hand, startling him in the process.

"Gohan, your hand! Why did you get rid of the tape? It must still hurt!" She shouted.

Gohan swatted his hand out of her grip. "Like I said, it's nothing. This is child's play compared to some of the other pain I've experienced." Gohan rebutted. The memory of Recoome breaking his neck with a kick briefly flashed by, causing him to cringe. Especially since it wouldn't have happened if his father hadn't taken so long to finally arrive.

"But you should still keep it tape-"

Gohan slammed his good fist into the ground, as if to make a point. "Stop pestering me! When I say it's nothing, IT'S NOTHING! Now just leave me in peace, please!"

Videl glared at him and got back up to her feet. "Fine, Gohan!" She turned around and stormed to the door. "Stubborn dick!" She swung it open and slammed it shut as she went back to the cafeteria. Gohan sighed, but he wasn't relieved. For some reason he felt bored, and dare he say, empty, when she left. He had to admit, his time on the roof was boring, and he liked getting her mad so he could see that look in her eyes.

Videl went right back into her seat, still fuming from her latest exchange.

"So, from how angry you look, I'm assuming you talked to Gohan." Sharpner said.

"That prick! He doesn't even care about his own well-being and then gets pissed when I try to help!" Videl ranted.

Gohan briefly thought things over. Sure, she did look better when she was mad, but that didn't change the fact that she was aggravating. "No" doesn't even seem to exist in her dictionary. No matter how much he tried to get her away from him, she just kept coming back. He didn't need friends at this stupid school; he already had friends in Krillin, Piccolo, Yamcha, Bulma, and the others. Hell, he even considered Vegeta to be a friend. But some broad that didn't know how to keep her mouth shut was something he could only handle in limited doses. Gohan grabbed his lunch tray, got up, and went back downstairs.

* * *

><p>He and Videl went to their lockers, and in what was becoming a routine, they went into standoffish silence. They were repeatedly saying and doing things that would make them want to tear each other's heads off, and the best way of going about things was silent warfare. As they walked to Biology class, they occasionally gave each other scrutinizing glances. Erasa and Sharpner were once again looking on like detectives.<p>

"They sure do know how to piss each other off, huh?" Sharpner observed.

"Yeah, I'm almost wary about leaving them alone for an hour." Erasa mused.

"I'm sure if they finally snapped and beat the crap out of each other, the teacher would take care of it." Sharpner replied.

Gohan and Videl got in their usual seats in the Biology lab, and their arms were similarly folded to their chests. The tension didn't go unnoticed by the students, who were all whispering to each other wondering why they were always so mad. That earned them death glares from both teenagers. They didn't say a word to each other for the rest of the period, and the next two for that matter.

Finally, P.E. had arrived. Gohan and the other students were in the gym this time, and Gohan hoped that the next activity would be like dodgeball, where it'd be easy for him to hide his powers. That hope was shot to hell when Coach Wakamoto announced the activity-

"Today, we will be trying a new unit that will be doing for the next two weeks – martial arts!"

Gohan grimaced. Just great, just fucking great. Now they were doing the activity that he had 10 years of experience in, the activity that was responsible for him saving the world. Absolutely _nothing _was going his way. Gohan cursed every God he had ever read or heard about, and that included Dende. The coach instructed the students to pair up with an opponent. Today would be strictly practice, as an instructor would be teaching them the basics tomorrow. With Gohan's luck, it would be someone he knew. All of the students found a partner except for two. Videl stepped in front of Gohan.

"_You'll_ be my partner. Got it?" She said with a serious look on her face.

Gohan sighed. He shouldn't have been surprised; Videl was as determined as she was annoying, so it was a small wonder that she'd be itching to prove she wasn't just someone for Gohan look down his nose at. The students weren't surprised to see the daughter of Mr. Satan pair up with the scariest motherfucker in the class. Most of the "spars," if you could call it that, were amateur not even by Gohan's standards. However, when Videl and Gohan finally decided to spar, the whole class gathered around like it was a main event boxing match.

Gohan groaned. _At the very least, I can avoid hitting her under the guise that she's a girl._

Videl got into a fighting stance. "Don't think I'll go easy on you this time."

Gohan snorted in amusement and folded his arms across his chest. He looked at Videl with a grin from ear to ear. "Try me."

Videl lunged at Gohan and gave him a furious barrage of punches and kicks. However, he was dodging them all like child's play, his face not even showing a hint of exasperation. The bastard practically looked like he was half asleep. To further egg her on, Gohan didn't even bother to lower his arms. Videl's frustration grew as she started throwing punches at an even faster rate, but Gohan didn't even need to put in any extra effort to continue dodging them with as much ease as before. Videl decided to mix up the pattern by going for a kick aimed at his head, but Gohan effortlessly lifted an arm up to dodge it. To him, it was like he was just raising it up to grab something – he didn't have to exert any force to cushion the impact. Videl went for a low punch but Gohan caught her fist in his palm.

The students looked at the display and were slackjawed. Videl was supposed to be the strongest person on Earth behind her father, yet Gohan was outright embarrassing her without even laying a finger on her. The thing that was so off-putting was the fact that Gohan was putting in virtually no effort. While Videl looked like she was about to collapse at any second, Gohan looked like he was taking a casual stroll down the park; almost bored, in fact. As if to confirm that thought, Gohan raised an arm to his mouth and mockingly yawned. Videl growled at Gohan's insult and charged at him, aiming a punch straight at his head. However, Gohan once again caught her fist easily and then pulled her right to him, their chests nearly touching. He looked down on her with a maddening smirk.

"Are you done yet? I've got better things to do."

Videl grit her teeth and let her fist linger in Gohan's palm. Finally she lowered her arm and then her head in defeat. "I…I give up."

Everyone looked at Videl awestruck. _Nothing_ was supposed to make Videl quit, yet this kid who had only been here for three days just did it with ease. Videl walked towards the girl's locker room.

_Hmph. That must've really hit her hard. _Gohan thought. He was merely observing though; he didn't have a hint of sympathy for her. Hopefully, through her crazy female emotions, the humiliation she suffered at his hand would be enough to make her hate him and finally leave him alone. The coach soon dismissed the rest of the class and they changed up.

* * *

><p>Gohan put his stuff away at his locker and Videl soon joined him. She gave Gohan a glance and then gave him her full attention.<p>

"Nice moves, Gohan." She begrudgingly admitted. She brushed past him and walked away.

Gohan left the school and looked for an appropriate place to fly away from. Little did he know, Videl was following him yet again. Contrary to what he believed, their "spar" didn't make Videl hate him at all; in fact, it made her all the more determined to get to know him. She was a fighter at heart, and she begrudgingly respected Gohan for his martial arts prowess. As soon as Gohan raised his Ki to power up, he felt her presence. Gohan sighed.

"You can stop following me, Videl."

The pigtailed fighter blinked. She soon came out of handing. "Jeez, do you have eyes in the back of your head?"

Gohan looked at her, and Videl felt intimidated when she felt his blank onyx eyes scrutinizing her. "Why?" He asked.

Videl was confused by the question. "'Why?' What do you mean, Gohan?"

Gohan growled. "Why do you keep doing this? I keep giving you every reason to stay away from me and hate me, yet you can't take a fucking hint and do it."

Videl shot Gohan an angry glare. "I don't understand you at all, Gohan!" She shouted. "All I'm trying to do is be your friend, yet you act like that's the worst fucking thing in the world! Look, I'm sure whatever happened with Cell was-"

Gohan's eyes narrowed dangerously. "_What_ did you just say?"

Videl stopped her rant and gave Gohan another glance. Gohan inched closer to her, and Videl suddenly felt terrified. That look in his eyes; it was a look of pure anger. She cursed her fate; what had she done to make Gohan look at her with such _hatred_? Videl backed up into the wall. "I-I heard you, shout his name yesterday. I just thought you needed my help…"

Gohan let out a ferocious growl and Videl shrieked in terror. She never felt so scared in her life. Not even her worst nightmares were as scary as the angry half Saiyan in front of her.

"CUT IT OUT!" He shouted. "Get this through your fucking skull, you crazy bitch! I don't want your help, nor do I **need** it! So why don't you just stick your nose out of my business, go back to your stupid little friends, and let go of this stupid fucking fantasy of me becoming your _friend_! Whatever you do, just leave me the hell **ALONE!**" Gohan shouted so hard his voice cracked.

Videl's body was trembling. Her vision became blurry; it was hard for to even breathe. "I-I'm sorry…" She whimpered. "I just – I just saw you so sad and angry that I thought you could use a friend…" Her voice was shaky. Gohan looked down at her and could see tears falling down to her chin. "B-but I get it now…you don't want anything to do with me." Whatever composure she had went away. She broke out into sobs. "I'm sorry, Son Gohan…sorry for ever bothering you." She turned and ran away. Gohan grunted, turned around, and flew to the sky.

Videl took out a capsule and tossed it to the ground. From the smoke came her hover jet. She stepped in and grabbed the two control sticks, yet she didn't move a single inch. The tears were running down her face and weren't stopping any time soon. She felt absolutely crushed. Never had she ever been rejected so horribly by someone in her life. She didn't understand – she just wanted to be Gohan's friend, yet he absolutely didn't want it at all, like it was some deadly virus. After a few minutes of crying, she got enough of a hold of herself to fly the jet back home.

Gohan flew to Mount Paoz quickly. Yet, the closer he got home, the guiltier he got. He should've been happy, but in actuality he felt like a complete monster. Those were the only people capable of leaving an innocent teenaged girl so utterly terrified. They were the only people who could make a teenaged girl cry uncontrollably. His plan had gone horribly right; Videl got the message from his rant and was going to leave him alone from now on. Yet it made him feel so awful in the process. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

_What have I done? _He thought to himself. _What have I __**become**__?_

Videl tried to remain level headed and continue her course home, yet the grief came right back to her. She took her foot off the pedal and broke out in to sobs again. She didn't even realize that her jet was now free-falling to the ground. She yelled in horror when she realized what was about to happen. She could've easily gotten the jet back on course and save herself in the process, yet she couldn't even will herself to do it.

Gohan's flight came to a sudden stop when he felt Videl's Ki in distress. Thinking quickly, he pressed the button on his watch and went Super Saiyan, and flew in the opposite direction of his house. At speeds he didn't even know he was capable of, Gohan flew to where he was sensing Videl and was shocked to see a jet spiraling downward. Gohan flew down in its direction and managed to catch the front of it, putting its descent to a halt. He jumped to the ground and gently placed it onto the green grass.

Videl was dumbstruck. She thought that her jet was going to explode into a million pieces. She looked up and through her watery eyes saw a figure standing before her jet who was engulfed in a golden aura.

_It's him again._ She willed herself to get out of her jet, and then she ran to her savior and gave him a tight hug. She needed it right now. "Th-thank you!" She choked out.

Gohan gently moved her off of him. "What's wrong?" He asked. He already knew the answer but figured the least he could do was console her.

"It's just…some guys are jerks…" She said through a sob. Gohan lifted her chin up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Don't cry; it doesn't suit you." He said.

Videl looked up at the Delivery Boy in awe. He really was like manifestation of perfection. "It's just…this guy. All I wanted to do was be his friend. He looked like he was so sad and angry, and I thought all he needed was just a friend to make him feel better. Yet all he did was call me horrible names and push me away."

Gohan felt a lump in his throat. He was truly guilty for his actions. It was then that he realized what an idiot he had been. He was so damn cynical, and it kept him from realizing that Videl really did want to help him. No hidden agenda, no malice intended. She just wanted to be a friend. "Maybe, that guy just needed a little space."

"Maybe, but that still doesn't justify him being so callous." Videl retorted.

Gohan had nothing to say that. "Well, I'll see you around." Gohan turned around…

"Goodbye." Videl said. She gave him a weak smile. At least there was one guy she could rely on.

Gohan nodded and flew off. He at least felt a little better that he was able to console her, even if it was indirectly. Now what? He _had_ to apologize to her tomorrow. But how? In all likelihood, she hated him and wasn't going to want to talk to him. He sighed as he headed back home to figure out how to sort this mess out.


	5. The Big Damn Hug

Gohan once again jumped into his room through his window and took a seat on his bed. _I've been a fool…_ Gohan thought. _All she was doing was trying to help, and now she hates me._ Gohan rubbed his temple as he tried to figure out some way he could apologize to her. She wasn't going to want to talk to him; that was for sure. Gohan tried to think of some way to show his sorrow, but all it did was build an ever-increasing headache. All of the frustration from the past 3 days was finally starting to catch up to him, as he felt a sharp pain in his forehead. Gohan fell back into his bed with grit teeth, trying to will himself to get through it. He figured all he'd have to do was just get a good dinner and he'd be okay. Gohan marched downstairs, where his mom found him.

"Gohan, are you okay?" She asked. "You don't look too good."

"I'm fine, mom." Gohan replied, waving a dismissive hand.

"Oh no, you're not sick, are you big brother?" Goten asked.

"I said I'm fine!" Gohan snapped. His little brother flinched, and when Gohan saw this he frowned. "Sorry." Gohan lay down on the couch and furiously rubbed at his temple.

"I don't care what you say; you don't look fine at all. I'll get you a cold towel." Chi-Chi said before she rushed upstairs. Gohan groaned loudly. Goten looked up at him with concerned eyes. Chi-Chi came back downstairs with a wet towel in her hand and passed it over to Gohan. Gohan snatched it out of her hand without complaint and shoved it on his head. At the very least, it somewhat calmed him down. Gohan let out a sigh before succumbing to sleep…

* * *

><p>The next day at school, Gohan sorted his things out in his locker as he thought about how awkward the day ahead of him would surely be. Soon, Videl walked over to her locker, walking past Gohan. She opened her locker in silence, not saying good morning, or giving him a nickname mocking his bad attitude; nothing, not even a glance of acknowledgement. It was maddening to Gohan. He really did hurt her feelings. He tried to think of an apology, but he just couldn't find the words. He sighed before walking to his homeroom. He got the usual morning greetings from Sharpner and Erasa and gave his usual "Hn." response. Videl soon walked in the classroom and got in her seat.<p>

"The lovebirds are both here again!" Erasa joked.

"Can it." Videl ordered. Erasa and Sharpner looked at Videl in surprise. Videl had a stoic, faraway look on her face.

"What happened, Videl?" Erasa asked, eyeing her friend with concern.

"Nothing." She replied. Her voice was so low it was almost inaudible. Gohan buried his head in his arms. Erasa and Sharpner both raised an eyebrow at Gohan and made a mental note of him and Videl's odd behavior this morning.

"Aw, I guess they're having a lover's spat." Erasa concluded.

Gohan shot up and he and Videl both glared at Erasa. "SHUT UP!" They both shouted. Erasa shrieked and warily eyed the two black haired time bombs sitting on both sides of her.

"Sorry." She said meekly.

The next two periods went without any trouble, seeing as how the two most belligerent students in the class didn't have any words to say to each other. Videl's silence and complete lack of acknowledgement caused the sharp pain to return to Gohan's head. This was _too_ awkward. Why was this affecting him so much? He was supposed to hate Videl's constant pestering! Her silence should be a blessing, not a mental burden. The bell rang and they headed out for lunch. Gohan ate on his regular spot on the roof, and again, the awkwardness was killing him. Every now and then, he turned to the door, just hoping that she would burst through the door to annoy the shit out of him. Gohan groaned again. _Has she cast some crazy spell on me or something?_

At the lunch table in the cafeteria, Sharpner and Erasa ate their lunch fairly quickly and turned over to Videl, who was doing nothing but staring down at her tray. She hadn't even touched her food.

"Videl, this is killing me. What's got you so down in the dumps?" Erasa asked.

"It's Gohan!" Videl finally snapped. "He's an asshole! Talking to him is like going in a mine field without a metal detector! I don't want _anything_ to do with that bastard anymore!"

"Oh man, this is serious." Erasa remarked.

Sharpner shrugged. "I don't know why you didn't see it coming. That guy doesn't seem to want any friends."

"But why?" Videl whimpered. "_Everybody_ needs a friend. Why does he hate that idea so much…? I just tried to talk to him and he called me a crazy bitch and told me to stop trying to be his friend!" The tears from the previous day were starting to come back.

Videl's two blonde friends didn't quite know what to say. They both shrugged their shoulders and tried to get away from this awkward conversation. The bell mercifully rang and the pair jumped up and ran to their lockers. Videl managed to get back up and walked to the trash can to throw away her lunch, and before she knew it, her and Gohan's shoulders awkwardly bumped into each other. They both looked to see who the other was and awkwardly turned away when they realized it. They walked back to their lockers and then to Biology without saying a word.

"Good morning, class!" Mr. Schemmel, their teacher, said. "Today, I'd like to announce our first project."

The entire class groaned, which got a laugh out of Mr. Schemmel. "Yeah, that's the reaction every year! Anyway, your project is to be done with one partner of your choosing. You will be building a model of a cell."

Gohan growled. _This stupid project _would_ be about CELLS! _He thought.

"The model should be properly colored and labeled. Bonus points will be given for creativity! I encourage you all to think outside the box for this project."

All of the students started looking for partners. Gohan and Videl glanced at each other nervously. It seemed like they were the only two people without any. They both sighed.

Videl was the first one to speak up. "Look, I don't like you, and you don't like me; but it looks like we have no other choice."

Gohan shrugged half-heartedly. "Whatever."

Videl rolled her eyes. She was not excited about working with that jerk at all. Why did this stupid project have to come so quickly after his complete rejection of her? Gohan was just as annoyed, but he figured he'd have to suck it up.

_Like I should've expected something to actually go my way…_ He thought.

* * *

><p>An hour later the class ended and after three more classes, it was time for P.E. Videl was no longer looking forward to the martial arts activities after how badly Gohan had embarrassed her yesterday. This was supposed to be her time to shine, but no, Gohan just had to ruin everything for her. <em>What an ass<em>. She thought. _I oughta kick him right where it hurts today._ The class gathered to the gym where they eagerly awaited for their martial arts instructor to arrive. Gohan was looking down at the ground. He was wearing a replica of Goku's orange and blue uniform.

"Allow me to introduce you all to your martial arts instructor!" Coach Wakamoto said.

"Hello, class!" A deep, rough voice yelled.

Gohan's eyes widened upon hearing that painfully familiar voice and looked up to see the object of his worst nightmare. _No! No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, __**NO!**_ Standing before the class was everybody's favorite short, tan, flame-haired, widow's peak-clad Saiyan warrior. And from the looks of the cheeky grin plastered on his face, there was only one reason why he chose this particular occupation.

Vegeta looked around the body of students and smirked when he saw a twitching, apprehensive teenage half-breed. "Hello, students, I am Vegeta, and I shall be your martial arts instructor!" He announced. "I am also known as…" Vegeta's smirk widened to inconceivable levels. "The Prince of all Saiyans!" The class was confused but nonetheless remained attentive to the commanding figure in front of them. Gohan groaned loudly. "I will be showing you filthy brats…er, _delightful students_, how to be efficient fighters!"

A lot of the students were familiar with Vegeta. He was the husband of Bulma Briefs, one of the wealthiest women in the whole world and heiress of Capsule Corporation. Vegeta was regarded as perhaps the scariest man on the planet, a reputation he basked in with utter joy.

Videl turned and raised an eyebrow at the jittery half-Saiyan a few feet away from her. _What's he so nervous for? Hmph, serves him right._

Vegeta walked over to Gohan, proud of how uncomfortable he was making him. "Bet you didn't see _this_ one coming, huh, brat?"

"Vegeta, what the _HELL_ are you doing here?" Gohan shouted. "You hate interacting with people!"

Vegeta laughed. "You're right about that! The woman convinced me to do this."

"How the hell did Bulma convince you to take this job?" Gohan demanded. When he saw the lecherous grin form on Vegeta's face, he immediately regretted asking. "That's nasty, Vegeta."

Vegeta cackled loudly. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun!"

Videl and several other students were shocked by the exchange of words. Gohan not only knew Yamcha the Bandit, but the husband of one of the most powerful women in the world? What was the deal with this kid? Gohan must be filthy rich, they all concluded. Vegeta walked back to the front of the class.

"Alright, first things first, I will demonstrate to you how a _real_ fight is waged." Vegeta turned his head to Gohan. "Hey, brat! Come up here!"

Gohan gulped. Vegeta was going to try to make this as awkward as possible. Gohan timidly walked up to where Vegeta was standing.

"We will spar, brat." Vegeta commanded. Gohan nodded. He took a few steps back. Vegeta jumped back a few feet to widen the distance between the two. Vegeta turned his head to the students. "Pay close attention!"

They both got into their usual fighting stances. They both understood that they could only fight at only a fraction of their usual levels, lest they blow the whole damn school up. That wouldn't be all that bad of an alternative, Gohan mused. They both hurdled at each other. Gohan threw a punch, Vegeta went for a kick. Their respective fist and leg met and the two jumped back again and hopped high into the air, where their knees clashed. They both descended to the ground, and Gohan was the first to attack. He swung his leg at Vegeta's head, but Vegeta raised an arm up to block it. Vegeta tried to take advantage by punching Gohan, but the younger Saiyan easily turned to the side to evade it. He tried to swing his knee into Vegeta's nose, but he ducked down and rolled behind Gohan before landing a punch to his spine. The force of the blow sent Gohan flying forward, but he repositioned himself on the ground, leapt forward, and gave Vegeta an elbow that connected right with the bridge of his nose. Vegeta raised a hand to his face and Gohan went in like a shark, punching him right in the stomach. He tried to land an uppercut to his jaw, but the Saiyan prince caught his fist with his right hand. The two Saiyans jumped up and went into a lightning fast exchange of hits and misses. They weren't moving nearly as fast as they were truly capable of but it was nonetheless fast enough to leave the entire class awestruck.

_W-wow…_ Videl thought. _They really are amazing._ It was enough to almost make Videl forget about how much of an asshole Gohan was. Almost.

Vegeta broke the exchange with a well-aimed punch to Gohan's chest. Gohan defensively raised his arms to it, leaving him ill-prepared for the kick that connected to his face. Videl smiled at the sight. Gohan quickly recovered and tripped Vegeta with his foot, and then landed an elbow to his temple. Vegeta rubbed his head and flew at Gohan, letting out a flurry of punches that Gohan narrowly avoided. The class noted that Gohan actually appeared to be putting some effort into dodging these, unlike what happened yesterday with Videl. Gohan swung his feet up so he was floating horizontally in the air and dropkicked Vegeta right in the chest. They both flew at each other, both with a leg sticking out, and each connected a brutal kick to the other's face. They both fell but quickly got up. They were both panting, but never took an eye off of the other. The two gave each other a nod and stood straight up, signaling an end to the fight.

Some of the students shook their heads. Now _that_ was a fight! The class gave the two a round of applause. Even Videl was begrudgingly clapping.

Gohan and Vegeta both smirked. That spar was nothing compared to their gravity room battles, but sufficed to blow the minds of the teenaged spectators. Gohan wiped a trickle of blood from his lip and walked back to the group of students that he never ceased to amaze.

"And _that,_ students, should give you a good idea of how skilled martial artists battle. Of course, you all will likely never fight nearly as well as that. The brat is good because he's been fighting since he was an infant." All of the students turned to Gohan and gave him nods of respect. "Hopefully, you'll all be somewhat skilled when this is said and done. And you better be, because I'm getting paid for this crap and my loudmouth wife is going to assault my ears if I don't show you brats anything useful. Now go on, pair up, and practice a bit. I'll begin drilling you tomorrow." Vegeta flashed a smirk so devilish you would've thought he was working for Frieza again. "And trust me, students, it _won't_ be fun!"

"I won't have to participate, right?" Gohan asked.

Vegeta grinned. "Oh, it'll _especially_ be no fun for you!"

Gohan cringed. Just great, Vegeta's angry that he can't surpass him and now he's taking it out on him by torturing him at school. Videl opted not to pair up with Gohan, although that left the two of them without partners.

"Hey, Kakabrat!" Vegeta shouted. "Why don't you have a partner?"

Gohan and Videl awkwardly glanced at each other, which didn't go unnoticed by Vegeta. He turned to the pigtailed girl and raised an eyebrow. "Is this your mate?"

Gohan and Videl's cheeks turned an impossible shade of red. "**NO!**"

Vegeta laughed maniacally. "This is _so_ worth it!"

The two teenagers turned so they were standing face to face. They both looked off to the side to avoid looking at each other. "Look…I already know I'm nothing compared to you, Gohan. Let's just try to make it look like we're doing something."

"Got it."

Videl threw a punch and Gohan mechanically dodged it. They continued the routine for the rest of the period; Videl attacked, Gohan blocked it. Hey, at least they had _some_ sort of interaction with each other.

* * *

><p>After class was over they both went to their respective lockers. Videl spoke up. "I guess…we should start working on the project. It's due next week."<p>

"And…?"

"…it would be better if we worked on it together. We should start as soon as we can." Videl explained.

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "What are you suggesting?"

"So…we should work on it…at your house?" Videl awkwardly asked.

The half Saiyan sighed. "Fine."

Videl was really apprehensive about the whole thing. She didn't want to talk to Gohan ever again, yet this project was basically forcing her to. _I'll just have to deal with the jerk for now._ They both walked outside. "How will we get there? Even on my jet it will take a few hours."

Gohan groaned again. He definitely wasn't going to let her know he could fly. He had another idea. Gohan cupped his hands to his mouth and called out to the sky. "FLYING NIMBUS!" A puffy yellow cloud stormed up to the two, leaving Videl slackjawed.

"What in the world is that thing?" Videl asked.

"My ride." Gohan replied. Gohan hopped up and sat on the cloud cross-legged. Videl gulped and climbed up to the cloud, using Gohan as a boost.

"Take me home, Nimbus." Gohan directed. The cloud shot up into the air and flew at a fast pace to Mount Paoz. The speed startled Videl. She grabbed on to Gohan's arm to prevent herself from falling off. She couldn't help but feel more comfortable in them. _His arms really are huge…_

Gohan sighed. He was actually worried about using the Nimbus. He hadn't flown on it in a couple of years. And to be frank, he wasn't sure if he was even able to ride the thing anymore. If he fell through the cloud, he would've been forced to fly himself as a last-ditch effort. Either that or Icarus, which would've likely scared Videl out of her wits. After about thirty minutes, they finally arrived at Gohan's house. Videl let out a sigh of relief and looked around the area. The forest was beautiful, and she smiled at the sight of all of the wildlife exploring the area. The place had a peaceful vibe, making her wonder how a jerk like Gohan could ever live there. Gohan knocked on the door.

"Mother, I'm home!" He called.

Chi-Chi answered the door. "Good afternoon son! And I see you brought a girl with you?"

"Hello, Mrs. Son." Videl greeted, smiling politely. "I'm Videl. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Oh, just call me Chi-Chi!" Chi-Chi shook her hand. "The pleasure's mine! So what are you here for?"

"We're working on a science project." Gohan answered.

"Well that's fantastic! Make yourself at home, Videl!" Chi-Chi said.

Videl nodded and stepped in the house, taking note of the fact that Gohan's attitude problem clearly wasn't the product of an abusive household, considering how nice his mother was. Goten jumped up to Gohan and tackled him to the ground. Videl was shocked at his younger brother's appearance. _His hair…_ A light bulb went off in Videl's head. _Why didn't I figure it out sooner? Son Goku…Son Gohan! Gohan is the son of Son Goku, the winner of the 23__rd__ World Martial Arts Tournament! No wonder he's such a skilled fighter!_

"I'm glad you're back, big brother, I was wondering what was taking you so long!" Goten yelled.

Gohan laughed and patted his brother on the head. "Aww…it wasn't too long, squirt!"

Videl gasped. _Wow, that's the first time I've actually seen him happy_. She noticed how much more handsome he looked with his features relaxed and when he had a legitimate smile on his face.

Gohan swatted Goten off of him and got back up. Goten looked up at Videl. "Who's the pretty girl?"

Videl blushed. How was Gohan's family so nice, yet he was so mean? "Thank you!"

"This is Videl; she's my partner for a science project." Gohan explained.

"Oh, that's cool!" Goten replied before running back to the kitchen.

"We'll work on it in my room." Gohan said.

"Okay; I think I'll go to the bathroom first." Videl replied.

Gohan nodded and went upstairs to his room. As soon as he got there, he felt immensely tired. He wasn't exactly ready for his fight with Vegeta, who definitely wasn't pulling his punches. _I think I'll get some rest first…_ Gohan lay down on his bed and was out like a light within a few seconds. Videl walked in.

"Gohan…?" She asked. She turned over to his bed, where the crazy haired fighter was sprawled out and snoring. Videl sucked her teeth. "That idiot! Did he forget what we came here for?" Videl decided to look around his room. It was very neat and organized. She stepped over to his desk, which had stacks of different books. _No wonder he's so smart._ She went to the dresser and found something that caught her interest. Shoving aside the broken alarm clock, Videl grabbed a framed picture. In it were a rather large man who was smiling, a more youthful looking version of Gohan's mother, and the mystery man himself, Son Goku. He was wearing the orange gi that Gohan was wearing in P.E. She turned her attention to what he was holding in his arm. It was an infant, no older than three years old, with long shaggy hair, a yellow tunic, a red hat, and some weird furry appendage sticking out from his back…

_Gohan…_

Videl shook her head. She already crossed that bridge. Gohan wanted nothing to do with her. She didn't come here to find out any of the various mysteries to Gohan; she was here to work on a project. Videl placed her Biology book on the desk. She shifted towards Gohan and noticed he was looking restless in his sleep…

_Gohan, engulfed in a brilliant gold aura, with bright electricity sparking around him, floated down to the battle field. He did it – Cell was no more. He couldn't sense even a trace of his enormous Ki. The Ascended Super Saiyan looked to the sky, and triumphantly raised a fist in victory._

"_I DID IT!" He shouted._

_Gohan smiled brightly. He was glad he was finally able to harness the power sleeping within him and used it to wipe out that horrible monster once and for all. He could see his friends flying towards him to congratulate him. Gohan giggled until he heard a familiar voice come up from behind him._

"_Gohan…"_

_The half Saiyan turned around. He was surprised to see the man standing in front of him._

"_D-daddy?" He asked._

_Goku didn't look like he was here to exchange pleasantries. In fact, he looked angry. "Dad, what's wrong?"_

_Goku growled at his son and struck him in the face. Gohan rubbed his cheek and looked up at his normally gentle dad in utter disbelief._

"_You stupid fool! Your stupidity got me killed! I should've never trusted you!" He shouted._

_Gohan's lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry, dad."_

"_No, don't be sorry. I'm the one who should be sorry – sorry for ever bringing such a failure of a son into existence." He said coldly._

_Gohan's head jerked up. "But da-"_

_Goku harshly slapped him. "Don't speak unless I tell you to!"_

_Gohan's eyes became watery. He didn't understand why his dad, who guided him to his victory, was so angry. He was the one who made the sacrifice; why was he blaming it on him? "D-dad…why?"_

_A maniacal laughter cut through the air. Gohan's jaw dropped. There was no way, he couldn't be here – he just killed him! He saw him vaporize mere minutes ago!_

"_What an interesting sight this is!" The voice yelled. Goku and Gohan looked up into the sky…_

"_CELL!" Gohan screamed._

_Goku looked down to his son. He was ashamed. "You couldn't even get the job done…"_

_Gohan didn't know what to make of the turn of events. What the hell was happening? Why was Cell back again? The arrogant Android descended to the ground, his proud smirk directed at the father and son._

"_Gohan, it appears your father has been giving you quite the lambasting! Don't fret; I'll rid you of your worries!" Cell said to Gohan._

_Gohan gasped. "N-no!"_

"NO!" Gohan shouted in his sleep, startling Videl. Videl ran up to his bed.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly. He looked like he was fighting a battle even while sleeping. His body was moving around violently.

_Goku pushed his son back. "Stay out of this! You'll only screw things up even further."_

_Cell and Goku phased out of sight. They were fighting in the sky so fast not even Gohan could see them. Suddenly, he saw a figure fall from the sky and hit the ground right in front of him. Gohan looked down…_

"DAD, NO!"

"Gohan, wake up!" Videl shouted, trying to shake him out of his sleep. He wasn't working very well. She grabbed his arm and was startled by the heat he was giving off. "Please, Gohan, wake up." She could see tears spilling from his shut eyes.

_Gohan stared at his father's lifeless body. He couldn't believe it – Cell took his father away from him, again. The monster warped right in front of him._

"_Well, Gohan, it looks like it's just you and me!" Cell taunted._

_Gohan's eyes narrowed. He had it – he wasn't letting this bastard get away; not this time. He crouched, and then lunged at his aggressor…_

"CELL!"

Gohan swung an arm right at Videl; he seemed to be aiming a punch at her. Videl shrieked in horror when she saw the fist approaching her, but thankfully, it stopped short. Videl's body was trembling as she stared blankly at the fist that was a mere inch from her face. She cocked her head to the side and saw the 14 year old boy looking at her wide-eyed in shock.

"V-Videl…"

"Gohan…?"

Gohan lowered his head. "I-I'm sorry…" Gohan lowered his arm and ran a hand though his hair.

"Gohan, you were having a nightmare." Videl said. "What happened? Why were you calling for your dad? And Cell?"

Gohan looked down at the floor. "I can't…"

"PLEASE, GOHAN!" Videl cried. "Tell me what happened to your father." She said, this time in a lower voice.

Gohan's body stiffened. "He's dead."

Videl felt like an anvil was dropped on her shoulders. Words couldn't describe the sympathy she felt for the boy sitting before her. _That explains it…his disposition, his distrust of people…the poor guy._ "Gohan, I'm so sorry…"

Tears built up in Gohan's eyes. "A-and it's my fault!" Gohan choked out.

"Gohan, what happened? How did he die?" Videl asked.

More tears fell down his cheeks. "H-he was protecting me…from Cell."

Videl gasped. "Cell?"

"I was too stupid…he did what he could…and now he's gone." Gohan whimpered. "HE'S GONE AND IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ME!" Gohan couldn't control himself any longer. He broke down in tears.

Videl felt a sharp pain hit her chest. She couldn't stand to see Gohan like this. This guy crying…it didn't fit the Gohan she knew. Videl's instincts kicked in and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. She gently placed his head into her chest and ran her hand into his hair. "Gohan, it's going to be okay." She consoled. "Everything's going to be okay…it wasn't your fault…he was just trying to keep you safe…"

Gohan felt a powerful feeling hit his body. The emotions coursed through him like a whirlwind. Videl genuinely cared; she was giving him the comfort she want to give him from day one. Gohan closed his eyes and exhaled, losing himself in her warm embrace. Videl rested her head on top of his.

"Don't worry, Son Gohan…"

They stayed there for a few minutes, not a single word being said, until…

"Hey, kids, I was wondering if you two wanted something to ea – oh dear." Chi-Chi said, standing in the doorway where she saw the new girl hugging her son. They immediately broke away from each other, both having bright red cheeks. "I was interrupting something, wasn't I…"

Gohan closed his eyes and prepared himself for the hellish scolding he was about to receive. Oh, how he hoped she didn't have the Almighty Frying Pan of Doom…

"OH THIS IS JUST DELIGHTFUL!" Chi-Chi shouted in glee. "It looks like I'll be having grandchildren after all!"

The two teens' cheeks became a deeper shade of red. "It's nothing like that!" Gohan shouted. "She was just…consoling me, is all."

"So you say, Gohan! I can see you two want to have some alone time!" Chi-Chi said before turning back around to the stairs. "And feel free to get to work on giving me those ~GRANDKIDS!~" Chi-Chi merrily skipped out of the room.

"G-Gohan…your mom is insane." Videl commented.

"Tell me about it."

Videl turned so she was facing Gohan. "So, um…" Videl forgot what she was about to say. "Awkwaaaarrrrrrd."

"Uh…oh yeah! The project!" Gohan blurted out.

Videl smiled nervously. "Oh yeah, that's right! So, umm…let's get started, shall we?"

Gohan took a seat at his desk and Videl grabbed a stool and pulled it closer to Gohan. While the half-Saiyan frantically turned through the pages, Videl couldn't help but look down at her partner and smile. She did it. She finally got Gohan to open up to her and explain at least a little bit about why he acts the way he does. And hopefully, this would be the beginning of a good friendship. She placed her hand on Gohan's shoulder, which he didn't object to at all.


	6. Friends

Gohan and Videl finished looking things up for their project after about an hour. They didn't say anything to each other during that time, but no words were needed. Videl's hand was rubbing Gohan's left shoulder for most of the time and he didn't complain. Gohan stood up and stretched his arms.

"So…what now?" Videl asked.

"My mom is probably cooking dinner." Gohan replied. Gohan looked off to the side. "…You can join us if you want."

Videl smiled. "Sure, I'd love to."

The teens left and headed downstairs, where Gohan picked up the delicious smell coming from the kitchen, triggering a loud growl from his stomach.

"Somebody's hungry!" Videl joked.

Gohan grunted and marched to the kitchen, Videl trailing behind him. The plates were set up. Chi-Chi heard them walk in and turned around.

"Wonderful, you two are just in time!" She said. "I just finished preparing your dinner!"

Videl was surprised by the sheer amount of plates set up on the table. "Wow…are you guys expecting company?" She asked.

Chi-Chi laughed. "Nope, this is all for my two sons!"

"But…this is crazy! Two people can't possibly eat this much!" Videl turned to Gohan. "…right?"

Gohan smirked at her and sat down. A blue blur suddenly shot up to the table. It was a hyperactive Goten anticipating his meal. "Yay! Can we eat now?"

"Yes, Goten." Chi-Chi answered. "Will you be joining us, Videl?" Chi-Chi asked.

"Yeah, sure!" Videl replied.

"How wonderful! This is a great way to get to know my future daughter-in-law!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. Gohan and Videl blushed again.

"Moooooom!" Gohan wined.

"Oh, so you're gonna be my new sister?" Goten asked.

"No, Gohan and I are just…" She paused to look down at the wild haired teen. "Friends."

"Whatever you say!" Chi-Chi replied before sitting down. Videl did the same. "Dig in!"

Gohan and Goten nodded and then went about the task of completely destroying the large meal in front of them. Videl tried to eat, but the only thing she could focus on was the two half Saiyans' gluttonous display. She watched them with dilated eyes.

"Insane." Was the only thing she could muster.

Chi-Chi laughed. "Yeah, sometimes I _still _don't get used to it. For just two boys I have to cook a meal worthy of an entire family!"

Videl nodded. No wonder Gohan rarely ate his lunch at school. It wasn't nearly enough to fill his abnormal appetite. And yet, he was so _ripped_. His eating habits were that of a morbidly obese man! Gohan finally finished his food and let out a sigh of content.

"Thanks, mom!" He said.

"No problem, son." Chi-Chi replied.

Videl decided to eat her much smaller meal, finishing within 5 minutes. She followed Gohan out of the kitchen and walked to the door.

"Well, I'll be going home now." Videl said. Gohan nodded, but then looked down and frowned.

"Look…about what I said yesterday, I-"

Videl cut him off. "Don't worry, Gohan. I forgive you." She said with a brilliant smile. She walked out the door.

Gohan didn't smile but he felt a warmth build up in his chest. He was happy he was able to patch things up with her. "Well, um…won't it take you a long time to get back home?"

"Oh, yeah, I didn't really think about that…" Videl replied. She frowned in thought as she wondered how she'd get home.

Gohan called to the sky again. "FLYING NIMBUS!" The puffy yellow cloud flew to them within seconds. Gohan hopped on.

"Thanks, Gohan!" Videl said. She grabbed onto his shoulder to help get herself on and kept her arms wrapped around his bulky left arm to brace herself for the speed. Chi-Chi joined them outside.

"Ah, so you're dropping her off home!" Chi-Chi said. "Gohan, while you're doing that, can you go to the store in East City and pick up some groceries? Don't think I forgot about you getting away without doing it these last couple of days!"

Gohan groaned. "Sure, whatever, mom."

"Goodbye, Videl! It was nice to meet you!" Chi-Chi yelled.

"Likewise! I hope I'll see you again!" Videl replied. The two flew off in the nimbus. Chi-Chi looked on and her mind drifted into fantasies about black-haired, blue-eyed children playing around in the backyard.

"So, we're going to Satan City, right?" Videl asked. Gohan nodded in response. Soon, they arrived at a large mansion. "Yup, that's my house!" The cloud flew over to a balcony, which Videl hopped off the cloud and landed on. She beamed at Gohan. "See ya tomorrow!"

"Hn."

Gohan turned around and headed off to East City. Videl looked up at the drifting cloud and let out a drawn-out sigh. This day went much better than she expected; she finally managed to at least plant the seeds of friendship with the mysterious wild haired boy with the bad attitude. She was glad she was able to help, and him being so cute to her didn't hurt at all. She walked back in her room and lay down in her bed with a smile that wouldn't be wiped off of her face for some time.

* * *

><p>Within thirty minutes, Gohan arrived at the Wal-Mart in East City. He hated the damn place; it was always so crowded and filled with idiots. Some of the aisles reeked of tobacco smoke and vomit, and the store had probably the most miserable employees ever. Gohan flew into a hidden area near the parking lot and got off the Nimbus to look less conspicuous. He walked into the large superstore and looked around. One look at all of the lines was enough to let Gohan know that this was going to take a looooooooong time. Gohan groaned and walked away.<p>

"GOHAAAAAN!" A shrill voice called out.

Gohan cringed. He recognized that voice. He turned around and the person he saw standing in front of him confirmed his horrors.

_Erasa, just great._ Erasa ran over to him and grabbed his shoulder. "I didn't expect to see you here!"

Gohan sighed. "I'm just getting some stuff for my mom." Yup, this would be long indeed…

* * *

><p>About two painful hours later, Gohan stepped out of the store looking like somebody who just experienced a 10 year war. Gohan placed the capsule full of groceries into his pocket and blasted off into the night sky. As he flew over the city, he saw yet another damn crime scene. Gohan pressed the button on his watch and went Super Saiyan.<p>

Videl was tied up and sitting in the front seat of a pickup truck. Her mouth was taped up to keep her from screaming. _Just fucking great._ She thought. _Why do I get myself into these situations? _She looked outside where she suddenly saw a golden aura light up the night sky. If she could open her mouth, she'd be squealing like a fangirl. _It's him! I love having such a dreamy hero always protecting me!_ Her captors aimed their guns at the Delivery Boy/Gold Fighter and fired. To their horror, the bullets had no effect. Gohan stood in front of them with a devilish smirk.

"So, are we done with the silly games?"

The band of criminals all [foolishly] ran at Gohan. He yelled and then punched one in the stomach, kicked another one into a building, punched one of them about one hundred feet into the air, and then rammed the other into the side of the truck. Gohan opened the door and released the captured teen.

_Jeez, Videl, do you have a death wish?_ Gohan thought. He quickly untied the rope and removed the tape from her mouth. Videl looked up at her hero, her eyes shining with glee. She jumped onto him, wrapped her legs around his waist, and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She blurted out. "I thought I was a goner for sure!"

"Yeah, whatever." Gohan said before practically prying Videl off of him. Gohan was about to turn to leave when Videl grabbed his shoulder. She had a brilliant idea.

"Can you take me home? I don't feel safe walking around at night." Videl said.

Gohan was about to mention she likely had a jet, but figured there was no use arguing. He sighed loudly. "Fine." Videl smiled and jumped right into his arms so Gohan could hold her bridal style. She wrapped her arms around his neck. Gohan cringed.

"I live in Satan City!"

Gohan nodded and flew off. Videl looked up at the man carrying her in flight with half-open eyes. _He looks sooooo hot with his hair blowing in front of his face! _Gohan blushed, as he figured Videl was likely raping him with her eyes. He didn't even bother looking down at her. Soon, they arrived at the mansion that Gohan already dropped her off at once already. He landed at the front door and released Videl from his arms. She looked up at him.

"So…do you want to come in? I'll give you a tour around the house!" Videl offered. Gohan was about to open his mouth to say no when Videl grabbed him by the arm and dragged him in anyway. _Why would she ask if she was just going to make me go anyway?_ "I know what you're thinking; 'Her dad is gonna kill me!' Well don't worry; he's gone on a business trip." She looked up at him with a devilish smirk. "Which means we have the whole house to ourselves."

Gohan cringed. _Dende, you will fucking pay for this._ On a lookout, thousands of feet into the sky, a certain Namekian guardian was rolling on the floor, laughing his guts out. Videl tightened her death grip on Gohan's arm and dragged him up the stairs. Gohan could've easily gotten out of her grip, but he was so distraught at the situation that he practically forgot his own strength. She brought Gohan into her room and finally released him from her grip before closing the door and locking it.

"So, what do you wanna do?" She asked seductively.

Gohan opened his mouth to speak but his throat went dry. _Dammit, dammit, dammit!_ Videl placed her hands on his shoulders. "Are you nervous?" She tiptoed up so she was at eye-level with the jittery Super Saiyan and tilted her head to the side. "Well don't worry about that…" She whispered into his hear.

Gohan sighed. That felt too good. He cringed at the thought and tried to regain his composure but before he knew it, Videl pushed him down and pinned him onto her bed before situating herself right on his lap. Gohan looked Videl straight into her blue eyes. Gohan took a deep breath upon seeing the sight. That look in her eyes…it was one of lust and desire. Videl closed them and leaned forward. Gohan managed to tilt his head to the side.

"What's wrong, not the kissing type?" Videl asked playfully. She leaned in closer to Gohan and whispered into his ear. "I can do _other_ things with my mouth that I'm sure you'll like."

Gohan felt a large bead of sweat trail down his head. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK! WHAT THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO NOW?_ On that thought, Videl trailed kisses down his chest, then to his abdomen, until she found the spot she was looking for. Videl lifted a hand to his blue belt and pulled at it. Gohan's instincts kicked in. He titled to the side, effectively knocking Videl off of him and causing her to fall to the floor. He stood up while Videl looked up at him in disappointment. Gohan nervously scratched the back of his head. "Uh…I gotta go." Gohan ran to the window at high speed, opened it quickly, and flew out without a word. Videl ran up and looked out before sighing.

_What…just happened? I've never been so impulsive before! It was like some slutty force just possessed me or something!_ Videl sat down on her bed and took a deep breath. _Never again, Videl! He's probably gonna think I'm a huge skank now!_

Gohan blasted off home as fast as his body allowed. What the fuck just happened? Was he really about to do, well…you know what…with her? He had to admit, that was _hot_. His reserves were continually crumbling. But dammit, he couldn't have allowed that to happen! I mean, shit, she wouldn't be able to handle him in just his normal state, let alone Super Saiyan! He once [regrettably] overheard Bulma complaining to Vegeta about how he damn near crippled her in his Super Saiyan form thanks to his strength and speed increasing 50 times over. Gohan shook his head in order to force out numerous nasty thoughts from it. _I will _NEVER_ let that happen again! Gah!_ Gohan burst into his room through his window, walked to the bathroom, and took a much needed cold shower. After that was done, he jumped into his bed and forced himself to go to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Gohan walked to his locker at school. He looked like a mess; he was still tired from everything that happened yesterday. An overly happy Videl ran up to her locker and punched Gohan on the shoulder.<p>

"Good morning, Gohan!"

Gohan turned to look at her. She was wearing a black leather vest, a tight white shirt and a denim mini-skirt. Needless to say, she was very pleasing to the eye. Gohan forced his head to face his locker. _God. Dammit!_

Videl looked at her classmate with concern. "What's wrong?"

Gohan shook his head. "Nothing…" His encounter with Videl in his Super Saiyan form was still fresh in his head and the last thing he needed was something to further push the memories back in there. Gohan walked to his homeroom with Videl behind him.

"Morning, cutie! I see you're tired from shopping!" Erasa said.

"Hn."

Videl smiled. Yeah, Gohan still being a grouch to everyone else was a given, but at least he was slowly willing to let _her_ be a friend. Hell, she actually felt special knowing that he made an exception for her.

After two classes, they went off to lunch and everyone sat in their usual places; Videl with Erasa and Sharpner, Gohan on the roof. A few minutes later, Videl decided to pay her new grumpy friend a visit…

Videl opened the door to the roof, where Gohan was eating his lunch. "Hey, Gohan." Gohan turned around and nodded to her. "I brought a couple of pizza slices with me. I'm sure it's a decent break from that bullshit the school serves."

Gohan turned around. "Is it pepperoni?"

"You betcha!" Videl answered. She sat down in front of Gohan and opened a container that had two pepperoni slices in it. "Yeah, I know; not enough to fill your inhuman appetite, but you better fucking appreciate my magnanimous offer."

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever." Gohan said, grabbing the pizza slice and eating it.

"So, I wonder…how much experience do you have fighting?" Videl asked.

"I don't feel like going into the complete circumstances…but do you know of Piccolo Jr., the guy who my father beat to win the 23rd Martial Arts Tournament?" Gohan asked. Videl nodded. "Well, he trained me when I was four."

"Piccolo Jr.? But I heard he was the reincarnation of the Demon King!" Videl exclaimed.

"Jeez, just let me speak! You do know that my father was the one who defeated the Demon King, right? My friends told me that the news found out and it was a pretty big story. Anyway, it's a long story, and again, I'm not giving you the details, but Piccolo had no other choice to train me. I've been fighting since then." Gohan explained.

"I see. But don't get too comfortable; I'll beat you one day!" Videl warned. Her blue eyes were filled with determination.

Gohan arrogantly laughed. "Oh, please, you're a weakling!"

Videl glared at him. "I'm not as strong as you, but I'm still tough!"

"No, you're a fragile little girl who's just headstrong." Gohan dismissively replied.

"I bet I'm the toughest _girl_ you know!" Videl retorted.

"Ha! Not a chance!" Gohan replied. "As a matter of fact, I know two girls who are stronger than you."

Videl raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Shoot."

"For one, my mother." Gohan said.

Videl nearly spat her drink out. "Don't make me laugh! Don't take it personal, but your mom looked like an ordinary housewife to me!"

"My mother was once one of the strongest people on Earth; hell, her and my father got engaged right in the middle of the ring after they fought. In fact, she's one of only two girls to make it to the championship round of the tournament." Gohan explained, his voice booming with pride.

Videl was surprised. "Wow, so your whole family is tough. Next thing you know, you'll tell me your grandparents were badasses back in the day!"

Gohan smirked. "My grandfather is the Ox King."

Videl couldn't contain her shock. "_The_ Ox-King? But I heard he was a tyrant! Does that make you an heir or something?"

"No. The Ox-King used to be a tyrant, but ever since his castle was destroyed, he's mellowed out and lived with his fellow villagers. He's actually a great man, and a helluva grandfather. My mom's not interested in ruling things and neither am I." Gohan explained.

Videl nodded. "I see." _That must've been the big goofy guy I saw in the picture in his room. Damn, he wasn't lying when he said he mellowed out._ "But anyway, you should consider entering the martial arts tournament! Wouldn't it be great if the daughter of the defending champion faced the son of the previous champion?"

Gohan smirked. "Oh, please." Gohan got up and approached the door, knowing lunch was almost over. "That fight would end the same as if my father were able to face yours – me pounding your ass into the ground."

Videl laughed at the implications and almost drifted off into lewd fantasies. Gohan didn't really pick up on it and frowned when she started giggling. "What's so funny?"

"You need to pick your words better! Pounding my ass into the ground! Boy, could _that_ statement be misconstrued." Videl joked.

Gohan gave her a disgusted look and mentally kicked himself for saying pound instead of kick. "Not everybody's mind is in the gutter, Videl."

"Oh, shut up." Videl said as the bell rang. They both walked down to the cafeteria and continued their banter. Sharpner and Erasa raised eyebrows at the two as they walked in. If they didn't know any better, they would've thought the two were…_flirting?_ No, no way!

In biology class, Gohan was teetering on the edge of sleep while Videl was hardly paying attention herself. In her boredom, she doodled a caricaturized version of Gohan with an exaggerated scowl on his face. She was so happy that she was getting him to open up to her at least a little. Videl was really starting to take a liking to Gohan, bad attitude and all. She tried to push any thoughts beyond simple friendship into the back of her mind; the only guy she was supposed to like was the Delivery Boy, not grumpy Son Gohan (oh, she is so fucking clueless)! After three more classes, it was time for everybody's favorite period of the day…

* * *

><p>In P.E., the students gathered around and gave "Coach Vegeta" their full attention.<p>

"Alright, brats, listen up! You can't become skilled in martial arts before learning the basics! That is why we will be doing simple drills throughout the period!" Vegeta explained. "Now, punches are one of the most common attacks used in a fight, and it is important that you know the different kinds of punches and how to use them effectively! There's the standard straight punch to the face," Vegeta demonstrated, "A hook," Vegeta fired a hook to show it, "An uppercut," again…

The class looked on as Vegeta demonstrated several more styles of punches. "Now, you will all practice these. You are to do 30 of each types of punches, one set for your right arm, one for your left arm!"

The entire class groaned. Vegeta glared. "THERE WILL BE NO WHINING IN THIS CLASS, BRATS!"

The groans quickly ceased as the students found spots to exercise at. Vegeta walked up to Gohan and Videl. Gohan frowned, which got a smirk out of Vegeta. "So, brat, the woman blabbed to me about your mother saying that you two are officially mates!"

Videl's cheeks reddened. Gohan's eyes narrowed dangerously at the Saiyan prince. "Vegeta, I will _end_ you." He threatened.

Vegeta's smirk widened and he raised his chin. "I'd like to see you try, brat."

Videl silently observed the odd relationship these two guys had. "Anyway, I expect _you_ to do _three hundred_ of these, brat."

"That's not fair!" Gohan protested. He folded his arms to his chest. "I'm not doing it."

Vegeta smirked. "Funny," Vegeta pulled a cell phone from this pocket, "Because all I have to do is call your mother and inform her of your insubordination. And if she's anything like my wife, hell, even _my_ long gone mother, then you have one of those blasted frying pans waiting for you when you arrive home!"

Gohan cringed. Dammit, he was well-prepared. "Alright, fine, I'll do it…" Gohan conceded. "…Midget." Gohan muttered under his breath.

Vegeta scowled. "I heard that, brat! For that you will do one thousand additional sit ups!"

"What? C'mon, Vegeta!"

Vegeta raised the cell phone as if to dare Gohan to refuse. "Understood…" Gohan replied.

Videl found their exchange of words humorous. Vegeta turned to her. "Well, what are you looking at, female? Get started!"

Videl flinched and went right to work. Something told her that getting on this guy's bad side was even worse than getting on Gohan's. She had read horror stories in magazines from former Capsule Corporation employees and visitors about what happened to them for even looking at Bulma for longer than 30 seconds without being addressed by her beforehand. Gohan begrudgingly did his exercises, moving as fast as he possibly could. He had already moved onto hooks when he and the rest of the class heard a piercing scream. Gohan turned to the direction of the scream and saw Videl laying on the floor and favoring her arm.

_I wonder what happened to her…_

Vegeta groaned. "Oh, just what I needed, a brat getting hurt under my watch!" Vegeta turned to Gohan. "Kakabrat! Bring your mate to the nursing quarters!"

Gohan wanted to tell him they weren't mates but decided against it. He lifted the crying Videl up and walked her to the nurse's office, which was upstairs. On the way, noticing that Videl's crying had ceased, Gohan decided to bother her about her injury.

"So fucking fragile…" He said.

Videl glared at him. "Shut up, Gohan! Even with a messed up arm I'll still kick your ass!"

Gohan arrogantly laughed. "Now's not the time to send threats, Videl."

They arrived to the nurse's office, where Gohan walked over to the counter.

"The weakling here's got a hurt arm." Gohan said, pointing at Videl. Videl didn't bother to scold Gohan and instead followed the nurse. Gohan left and went back downstairs to the gym, where he resumed his torturous exercises…

After class was over, several students walked from the locker room complaining of soreness. Vegeta was definitely ensuring that they would all go through hell, and enjoyed every second of it. Gohan felt alright, even considering his comparatively worse exercise regimen. Gohan went to his locker, where Videl was putting her things away; she had a visible brace on her shoulder.

"So what happened?" Gohan asked,

Videl shrugged. "It was just a sprain."

Gohan laughed. "You mean to tell me you sprained your shoulder from simple arm exercises?" Gohan shook his head and gave an overdramatic sigh. "And you say you're tough…"

"Gohan, shut the fuck up."

Gohan smirked. He saw that fire in her eyes again. "Whatever you say…" He said before leaving and heading out of the school. Videl closed her locker door and thought about the past 24 hours. Before, Gohan avoided talking to her, now he took every chance to mock her for being weaker than him. Hey, at least they were getting _somewhere._

Gohan found the right spot and flew away. He was heading home, but first he had to make a little pit stop to a certain tower…

* * *

><p>The day after was Saturday, which to Gohan's joy, meant he didn't have to go that blasted school. Goten was off visiting the Briefs household to play with Trunks. He slipped into a pair of dark blue jeans and a white tank top and considered flying out through the window to spar with Piccolo. That is, until he heard his mother calling.<p>

"Gohan, you have a visitor!" She yelled.

Gohan groaned. Who would be coming to visit him on a Saturday? He walked downstairs and to the living room where a certain pigtailed girl was waiting for him.

"I'll just leave you two alone." Chi-Chi said. She walked upstairs and muttered some nonsense about grandchildren.

Videl eyed Gohan up and down. She never saw him wearing…so _little_. The tank top put his bulky arms and defined pecs on full display and robbed Videl of her speaking ability. To her eyes, it was like he was perfectly carved out of stone. No fourteen year old boy was supposed to look like this. Except for the Delivery Boy.

"Holy shit…"

Gohan frowned. "Videl, what did you come here for?"

That snapped her back to reality. "Oh, yeah, I came here because we have to go to the mall."

Gohan's eyes narrowed. "The mall? Why?"

"To get some supplies for the project." Videl explained. "Your mom told me you don't have a cell phone, and I thought that'd be useful for this, so we'll get one of those, too."

"There's no way I'm going to the mall _with you_." Gohan retorted. "I'll get that shit on my own time."

Videl smirked triumphantly. "I already told you mom you were going with me."

"She can take me herself."

"She insisted on you going with me." Videl's mischievously batted her eyes at Gohan. "But of course, if you don't want to go with _me_, then I can give _Erasa _a call…"

Oh _hell_ no. There was no way in all seven levels of hell he was going _anywhere_ alone with that ditz. Sighing in defeat, he turned around. "Let me get a shirt."

Videl grinned. "I knew you'd see things my way!" Coercion was her greatest skill, even better than fighting! Although getting project supplies was definitely a priority, she really used this as a way to hang out with Gohan.

Gohan came downstairs wearing a long, black T-shirt. "Have fun, you two!" Chi-Chi called from upstairs.

"Oh, we will!" Videl replied. Gohan rolled his eyes. They walked outside, where Videl looked around. "We'll use your nimbus thingy."

Before doing that, Gohan dug for something in his pocket. He took out a green bean and pointed it at Videl.

"What's this?" Videl asked, observing the bean.

"It's a Senzu bean." Gohan replied. "It'll heal your little injury. Take it."

Videl gave it another suspicious eye before taking it and eating it. In an instant, she felt a rush hit her and her arm was suddenly pain free. Her eyes widened in shock. "Holy shit, this actually worked!" She smiled at Gohan. "Thanks."

"Hn."

Gohan called out for the cloud and soon enough, it flew over to them. They hopped on, where Videl gave the directions. "To Satan City Mall, please!" The cloud shot up to the air and flew to its destination.

"So, Gohan, how long have you had this thing?" Videl asked.

"Since I was a little kid." He replied.

"I see; I guess it _is_ fun to ride on." Videl observed. Videl looked down at all of the beautiful sights below them – the rivers, trees, anything else that caught her eye. Gohan looked down at the girl latched on his arm. He noticed she was wearing some sort of fancy perfume, which was giving off a great smell to him. It served to make Videl all the more attractive.

* * *

><p>About thirty minutes later, they arrived at Satan City mall. The two teenagers hopped off the cloud and walked through the crowded parking lot. Thankfully, they were at the main entrance, rather than the other side, where a shoe store was the primary entrance.<p>

"Now, I know what you're thinking; I'm gonna drag you around while I shop for clothes." Videl said. "But don't worry; I've never really been the shopping type. Hell, Erasa has to do something along the lines of what I did with you today to get me to come along with her for her shopping sprees."

Gohan nodded in response. Videl looked at all of the different people and laughed at one particular guy with a punk rock hairstyle.

"What's so funny?" Gohan asked.

"That guy's hair was so ridiculous looking!" She snorted.

Gohan smirked. "Like you're one to talk, Ms. Pigtails." Gohan mockingly flicked at her hair.

Videl laughed. "Gohan, you are in no position to make fun of _anyone_ for their hair. You're the king of ridiculous hairstyles. I mean, what the hell _is_ this?" Videl said, poking at one of his large spikes.

Gohan's eyes narrowed in warning. "You will _not_ make fun of my _gorgeous _hair!"

"Yeah, gorgeous if you're blind!" Videl lied. She actually liked Gohan's hairstyle, but she wasn't going to let him win an argument!

"So, are we going to get the supplies or what?" Gohan impatiently asked.

"Of course! Follow me!" Videl walked to the escalator and Gohan followed. They found the store they were looking for and looked for supplies. As they put stuff away, they exchanged snappy comments and arguments with each other. Gohan didn't particularly have any reaction towards them; that was pretty much his nature now. It was also Videl's, but she enjoyed her exchanges with Gohan. It was like their "thing" together. About ten minutes later, they left with all of the supplies they needed.

"Now what?" Gohan asked.

"We're making a little pit stop…" Videl said.

Gohan groaned. "What now?"

The pair walked to a men's clothing store. "We're getting you some new clothes."

"Yeah, _that's_ not happening." Gohan sneered. He turned around to walk away but Videl grabbed his shoulder.

"I already promised your mom I'd get you some extra shirts." Videl said.

"Fine…" Gohan said before turning back around. "But I don't see how this will benefit me."

"Oh, c'mon, stop being such a square!" Videl said as they walked in. Gohan rolled his eyes. "I'm serious! You always wear these oversized t-shirts and big jeans like you're in a Hip-Hop video; you look like you're trying to cover up a bunch of fat. I mean, come on Gohan, you're like the most ripped guy in the whole school. Show those guns off!"

"Whatever." Gohan replied. They walked over to a rack full of shirts. Much to Videl's chagrin, he picked out the dark, large ones.

"Dammit, Gohan, we're here to refresh your wardrobe, not just get more of the same stuff! Now put that down!" Videl ordered. She silently laughed to herself; Erasa would always have to have this type of exchange with _her_, and now here she was doing the exact same thing.

Gohan cringed. For a second, she sounded like his mother. Gohan groaned before complying, getting a satisfied smile. "Good boy!" Videl joked.

"That's not cute at all, Videl."

Videl rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush."

The two strolled over to a rack of smaller T-shirts, all from the same brand. All of the shirts had, "Fred Marty" written on them with a bunch of tattoo-like designs on them. Gohan thought they looked awful. Videl had a different opinion, of course.

"Ooh, you should get these! These designs are so cool!" Videl said.

"Absolutely not. Only a moron would wear these in public." Gohan replied.

A bunch of tanned muscleheads all wearing Fred Marty shirts walked by and looked over their shoulders at Gohan. "What's his problem?"

Gohan gave them a patented Vegeta Death Glare™ which successfully scared them off.

"I don't care what you say, Gohan; you're getting these and that's final!" Videl ordered.

"Fine, if it'll get you to shut the hell up, I'll get them." Gohan replied.

Videl smiled. "Perfect! Now let's get you some jeans."

Gohan sighed. He could almost hear Dende's obnoxious laughter in his head. They walked over to the jeans section, with Videl leading the way. It was then when Gohan noticed the tight jeans she was wearing, which showed off her figure well. Gohan shook his head. _I'm sounding like Master Roshi right now…_

Videl shoved a bunch of jeans in their shopping cart. They were about Gohan's size, but less baggy than the jeans he usually wore. Mercifully, Videl strolled over to the cash register, where she pulled out a credit card and paid for all of the new clothes. After getting them properly capsulized, they left the godforsaken store.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Videl asked.

"Hn."

"Now, to get you a cell phone…"

They walked downstairs and went to the electronics store. Gohan noticed how with all of these fancy gadgets, this place looked more like Bulma's lab. The place actually intrigued him; he looked around at some of the other electronics in the store, such as computers, MP3 players, and Bluetooth devices. Videl took note of the genuine interest in Gohan's eyes as he observed the various gadgets. _He's such a nerd at heart._ She thought while giggling. "Alright, Gohan, I know this store is more up your alley, but c'mon. Let's hurry up and get you a phone." Videl directed. Gohan nodded and they went to the rack containing all of the different phones. Gohan grabbed one that caught his interest. It was a usual smartphone, but Gohan liked the design. He played around with the various features and gave a satisfied grunt.

"I'll get this one." Gohan said.

Videl nodded and they went to one of the service reps to pay for the phone and get Gohan's service and payment plan all set up. Once that was done, they left the mall and stood around in the parking lot.

"See, that wasn't painful at all!" Videl commented.

"Yeah, painless in comparison to getting your neck broken." Gohan said, grimly.

Videl frowned. "Jeez, you always have to look at the negative side of things, Gohan."

"Oh, shut up." Gohan replied. "You're gonna pay for dragging me here."

Videl playfully shoved Gohan's arm. "Yeah, right. Now get that nimbus cloud so I can go home."

A light bulb went off in Gohan's head. He had a brilliant idea. Gohan gave Videl the most obnoxious smile he could muster up. "Oh, I have _another _great transportation method for us to use!"

Videl suspiciously raised an eyebrow. Gohan _never _smiled beyond an arrogant smirk. Something was up. "Uh, Gohan…"

"ICARUS!" Gohan loudly shouted to the sky. Videl stepped back, wondering who this Icarus fellow was. Within a few minutes, a large purple dragon-like creature with horns flew to the parking lot. Videl let out a loud shriek and hid behind Gohan. Gohan's face lit up when he saw his old friend. He ran up to him and patted him on the head.

"Hey, Icarus, how've you been? It's been so long!" Gohan said. The dragon licked Gohan on the neck. "Anyway, I have someone for you to meet. Icarus, this is Videl." Gohan said, pointing to the pigtailed girl. "She's a real meanie!"

Videl glared at the half-Saiyan. "Gohan, what the hell are you talking about?"

Icarus growled at her, causing Videl to jump back in fear. Gohan walked over to her and patted her on the shoulder. "Like I said, she's mean. She'll constantly yell her bitchy demands to you! To silence her, I'll need you to take her to her home in this city. It should be four miles west from here!"

Videl's eyes narrowed. "Oh no, I am _not_ going home on that thing, buddy! No way, no how!"

Gohan was counting on her saying that. Gohan turned to the right. "Oh, hey, what's up, Gold Fighter!"

Videl jumped and turned to the direction Gohan was looking in and expected to see the guy she had a crush on standing before her. That was all the distraction Gohan needed before he kicked her on the butt, causing her to jump up and land on the dragon's back.

"Now, Icarus, fly as fast as you possibly can! And don't even worry about Videl's comfort or safety; she doesn't deserve it! Hell, if she falls off, just let her hit the ground before you catch it!" Gohan directed.

Icarus nodded. Before Videl could protest, Icarus shot off into the sky and flew away at ridiculous speeds, causing Videl to shriek in horror.

"FUCK YOU GOHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!"

Gohan triumphantly smirked. Ah, sweet revenge. He walked around in the parking lot for a few minutes, when suddenly his phone lit up and displayed a popup message: "1 new text message from: Videl" Gohan smirked and pressed the button to open the message up. It read:

_I fucking hate you_

Gohan arrogantly chuckled and texted right back:

_:D_

The half-Saiyan put the phone in his pocket and blasted off into the sky. Hey, at least the day's ending made up for the few painful hours that preceded it.


	7. More Than Friends?

The weekend went by fairly quickly. Gohan once again sparred with Vegeta, this time in the gravity room at Capsule Corp, which meant that the two fighters could go all-out. Vegeta "won" this time, but through trickery. That Sunday, Gohan got a good rest…

The next morning, Gohan blasted his latest alarm clock to smithereens and scratched his hair. He noticed something weird about him. He looked down and saw some weird, furry, brown object lying close to the right of him. Gohan's eyes widened when he realized what it was. _Oh no…oh _hell_ no! SON OF A BITCH, WHY NOW?_

Gohan walked over to his locker at school later that morning, where he was met with weird glances from everybody who walked past him. Gohan scowled at them in response and put his things away. Videl brushed past him, causing a maddening smirk to make its way to the half-Saiyan's face. "How are _you_ doing?"

"I'm not talking to you." Videl responded.

"You should know that that's really a blessing to me." Gohan said, his smirk widening.

"I'm serious, Gohan! Do you know how many times that stupid dragon of yours dropped me?" Videl exclaimed.

Gohan laughed. "Don't call Icarus stupid, Videl. I'll tell him, so he'll make sure to keep that in mind next time he gives you a ride."

"Shut the fuck up." Videl warned.

"I hope you learned your lesson, Videl." Gohan walked closer to her, until he was only an inch away. "Don't fuck with Son Gohan; it gets you every time."

Videl scowled, but really that was a front. Gohan was so close to her; she could practically feel his heat. It was briefly mesmerizing to Videl. She looked up at Gohan, who was still arrogantly looking down to her. Her heart started beating faster and she felt a bead of sweat run down her head. _That damn smirk…so arrogant…so debonair. Oh, I'd definitely like to 'fuck with you,' alright - NO, VIDEL! _Gohan grunted and turned around, and it was then that Videl noticed something _odd_ sticking out from his back. _What the hell…is _that_?_ She opened her mouth to ask, but he was already gone.

Gohan walked into his homeroom, where everybody in the class gave him weird looks, like the students in the hallway were doing. Gohan looked off to the side, as he was uncomfortable from the scrutiny he was under at the moment. _What the fuck is so fascinating about me today?_ Gohan shrugged and walked to his desk. Erasa and Sharpner were looking at him warily.

"Dude…" Sharpner muttered.

"Uh, Gohan…" Erasa began…

"WHAT?" Gohan snapped.

She forced a weak smile. "Um…nothing."

Gohan grunted and took a seat. Videl soon followed. "Well, anyway," Erasa said, trying to get away from the obviously uncomfortable subject, "So Videl told me you and her went shopping, Gohan!"

Gohan rolled his eyes. Sharpner laughed. "Oh man, poor Gohan! And I didn't think you were the shopping type, Videl."

"I'm not, but I thought Gohan's wardrobe was so plain, so I got him some new shirts! Speaking of which…" Videl turned to the half-Saiyan. "How come you're not wearing one of them? You just have on another oversized dark shirt!"

Gohan shrugged. "I'll wear them eventually."

Videl narrowed her eyes at Gohan. "You better, buddy, because _I_ paid for them."

"Yeah, you better watch out Gohan, or else Videl will hunt you down!" Erasa joked.

"Whatever." Gohan nonchalantly replied. Mr. Sabat walked in and began talking. As that went on, Gohan couldn't help but notice the occasional student turn around and give him a nervous glance. The glances started happening at a faster pace, gradually running down the demi-Saiyan's short patience. He growled and suddenly stood up, fed up with the scrutiny.

"Alright, what the hell has got all of you looking at me today?" Gohan demanded.

Mr. Sabat gasped. "Son Gohan, how dare you interrupt me! And your language!" Mr. Sabat would've continued chewing Gohan out, but then he noticed some strange furry…thing waving around from behind Gohan. It looked to be sticking from his back. "Um, Gohan, what is _that_?"

Gohan looked down and saw the furry appendage in question; his tail. Gohan blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Oh." He said before sitting back down. _Dammit, I should've known they were looking at my tail!_ Gohan wrapped it around his waist.

_That's really fucking weird._ Videl thought. _Is that a _tail_? It definitely wasn't there any day last week, or when we went to the mall on Saturday!_

Soon the bell rang and the four students walked to Algebra. Along the way, Erasa, Sharpner, and Videl all continued to eye Gohan's tail, not bothering to think about how uncomfortable they were making him. In that class, Gohan got the same looks, but thankfully didn't unleash the angered reaction again. Gohan took his usual algebra nap to tune out the looks he was getting. He cursed his fate; why did his tail have to grow back after _nine fucking years_ of him not having one? Like, seriously, _now_ of all times? It was like the universe was out to torment him in every aspect of his life.

* * *

><p>When lunch hit, Gohan stormed to the roof, not even bothering to get any food. He needed to get a break from all of the creeped out looks he was getting. This was the absolute worst part of his Saiyan heritage; sure, the super strength and golden transformations were pretty fucking sweet, but a tail that makes you transform into a murderous giant ape without any sort of reasoning? Yeah, he'd definitely do much better without that. Gohan heard the door swing open, which of course meant…<p>

"Hey, Gohan!" Videl said.

Gohan turned around. "I thought you weren't speaking to me."

Videl scowled. "I still hate you, but I'm willing to grace you with my presence." Gohan rolled his eyes. Videl continued. "So-"

Gohan cut her off, already knowing what was about to come from her mouth. "_Yes_, it's a fucking tail, and it's really there, not some toy I attached to myself so I can be weird!"

Videl nodded. She could've done without the rudeness but she was nonetheless satisfied by the answer. "So, what's the deal with it? Was it always there, or did it just grow back?"

"Obviously, it just grew back." Gohan bitterly replied. "I was born with it, but it got cut off when I was five. I haven't had the thing for nearly a decade and it just randomly decided to show back up again."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised…I heard your dad had one in the World Martial Arts Tournament." Videl's face went pale when she remembered the other part of the story. "Wait…that doesn't mean that you can transform into a giant monkey when the moon is full, right?"

Gohan gave her a devilish smirk. Sure, he hated that aspect of his tail, but it was so fun to scare her out of her wits. All of the color left Videl's face. "I-I don't like the looks of that…" What kind of guy _was_ this Gohan? A skilled martial artist, knows Yamcha the Bandit and the Briefs family, is _extremely_ muscular for a fourteen year old, and to top it all off he has a tail and can turn into a giant rampaging monkey when looking at a full moon! There seemed to be no end to how freaky he was! And yet…she still found herself getting increasingly attracted to him. He was so mysterious, but that's what drew him to her so much; the desire to learn more.

Gohan's face became serious. "You have nothing to worry about in that regard, Videl. I'll check what day the full moon should be out and I'll make sure I'll be asleep a little early."

Videl hesitantly nodded. At least that was reassuring. Gohan turned around and stood near the edge of the roof, gazing at the sky. Videl stood next to him and joined along.

"So, Gohan…what was your father like?" Videl asked.

Gohan looked down and sighed. She just _always_ had to bombard him with questions. "Videl…"

"I'm just asking a question, Gohan." Videl said, with a little bit of annoyance in her voice.

"Fine. My father was a great man; always cheerful and looked at the bright side of things, and always protected his friends. He didn't have a malicious bone in his body." Gohan said. "But…he was _too_ carefree. He put fighting over everything…even his family. I look at Piccolo as more of a father than _him._" He added bitterly.

"Don't say that, Gohan!" Videl said. "The guy dies to save your ass and this is what you say about him in return? Honestly, Gohan-"

"You wouldn't understand, Videl!" Gohan interrupted. He looked very tense; he was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation and all of the feelings it was bringing back to him. Videl sighed, figuring this was how the conversation would end up. _But hey, at least this is better than what happened on Wednesday…_

Gohan turned back into the direction of the bright sky. Videl looked up at the half-Saiyan. _He seems so mad at his dad, yet he clearly hasn't taken his death very well._ She almost subconsciously put her hand on Gohan's shoulder. "I'm sure he's watching over you every day, Gohan."

Gohan grunted. "Yeah, sure; he's probably more worried about finding good warriors to fight in the afterlife than what his own son is up to."

Videl nervously laughed, figuring he was just making a morbid joke. "Okaaaaay, I can see where this is going. How about we just talk about something else?"

Gohan bitterly laughed. "So you're smarter than I took you for, Videl."

Videl frowned. "And just what is _that_ supposed to mean, Gohan?"

Gohan shook his head, turned around, and walked to the door. Videl followed him and thought about their conversation. Gohan was so bitter – his father sounded like an all-around great guy, just a bit confused about his priorities. Videl laughed. _Sounds just like my own father, now that I think about it. I guess martial artists aren't all that good when it comes to parenting. _Videl put her hand on Gohan's shoulder again. "Gohan, for what it's worth, I know what it's like to lose a parent, too. It sucks."

Gohan blinked a few times. He felt that funny feeling in his chest, again. Most of the time, she annoyed him, yet it was moments like _these_ that really made him appreciate having her around. "Videl…I didn't know. Sorry about your mother."

Videl smiled. "Don't worry about it. It happened a long time ago, and I've learned to accept it."

Gohan nodded. Hey, if she could, maybe he could get over his own problems, too…

The rest of the day went by normally. Of course, Vegeta made sure to egg Gohan on about his tail growing back in P.E., but other than that, nothing bad happened. Gohan had a renewed understanding for Videl after learning about her mother dying. Perhaps now, she was trying to give him what maybe she never had when her mother died? Gohan decided to give his friendship with Videl a real shot. Obviously, he wouldn't be all buddy-buddy with her and all, because his personality had pretty much changed for good, but he would at least try to drop his hostility from now on.

* * *

><p>Gohan was putting his books away at his locker, when Videl walked up to him. "Uh, Gohan, I have bad news for you."<p>

Gohan sighed. "What, now?"

"Well, our project is due tomorrow, and I was planning on working with you on it, but something urgent came up." Videl explained. "The police force has a lead on this big mob case, and they want me to break into their some mansion the boss' associates are in. So I'm afraid you'll have to do the project on your own."

Gohan groaned. "Fine, I'll do it. But you better not fuck up whatever mission you're doing because if there's one thing I hate - and there are _a lot of things_ that I hate - it's wasting my time and effort."

"Yes sir!" Videl mockingly replied, salute and all. She eased back up into a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Gohan."

"Hn."

Soon after, Gohan flew home and after his usual greetings from his mother and Goten, he went to his room. He pulled out the supplies for his project and sighed. He had a long night ahead of him.

* * *

><p>At around 10 PM, Gohan was teetering on the edge of sleep. His desk was a mess of glue, scissors, markers, Styrofoam, and construction paper. He just wanted to be done with this stupid project already, and it'd be so much easier if a certain somebody wasn't trying to be Li'l Miss Crimestopper. Speaking of which, Gohan was curious about how she was going about the case. That curiosity got the better of him, and in desperation to take a break from this project, he walked over to the window and slid it open…<p>

At a large, heavily guarded mansion, a certain pigtailed crime fighter was eavesdropping on a meeting through a vent in the ceiling. She had her phone out, recording every bit of the conversation she was hearing. The guys in the room were all dressed in black suits, and were currently discussing putting out a hit for "Da Boss." They all had large, oversized cell phones that were outdated by a good twenty years, but hey, they looked cool. Videl looked around through the dark vent, making sure she wouldn't make a sound. However, a little rodent decided it was best to ruin that. A mouse crawled on Videl's foot, startling the hell out of her and causing her to jump up and bump her head on the top of the narrow vent.

The hitmen in the room all jumped up and looked up at the ceiling. "'Ay, who's there?" One of them asked through an overpowering Italian accent.

Videl covered her mouth. _Stupid mouse!_

"I know somebody's there, I can practically smell ya!" He said. The other men were on guard. The short guy turned to a big guy and they both nodded. "Da vent."

One of the big guys lifted a large gun and shot it at the vent, which made Videl scream out loud. _No, busted!_

"C'mon out, ya stupid eavesdropper! Ya got nowhere to hide, now!" The short guy challenged.

_Dammit, I've got no choice._ Videl slid to the vent's entrance and slowly did it apart and jumped into the room.

"Well will ya look at dat, it's just a stupid little girly!" The short guy said. The rest of the goons laughed obnoxiously. "What are ya doin', researchin' for a little school project or somethin'?"

Videl rolled her eyes. One of the guys tipped their glasses a little bit. "Wait a minute, isn't dat chick Mr. Satan's daughter?"

The short guy winced at her. "Now that I think about it, yer right! We got a tough one on our hands! We'd make a fortune if we delivered this chick's head to Mr. Crescendo!"

Videl took a defensive step back. She was outnumbered, plus they were all armed. There was nowhere for her to go.

"Yeah, I can tell what's goin' through that pretty little head of yours. That fightin' shit ain't gonna get ya by in this situation." The short guy said. "But don't worry, we ain't gonna smoke ya yet. We're gonna have a little _fun_ with ya foist." The lecherous grin on his face left no secret to what he had planned. Videl felt a lump in her throat. This was going _all _wrong!

As if on cue, somebody broke in through the window! He had a gold aura surrounding him…the good ol' Gold Fighter! Gohan looked at the mobsters before him. "Looks like I came at the right time."

Videl smiled brilliantly. "You're here to save me, again!"

"Oh boy, we never had somebody dis darin' before!" The short guy said. "GET 'IM, BOYS!"

All of the mobsters lifted their guns and shot at Gohan. However, the bullets bounced off of him like nothing! All of the men looked like they just saw a ghost.

Gohan mockingly yawned. "So, are you done with that yet? I think it's about time I beat you all up."

Before they had a chance to run, Gohan took them all out one by one, leaving a great big pile of bodies. "Too easy."

Videl strolled over to her hero. "So what are you, a super hero stalker?" She playfully asked.

Gohan smirked. He didn't try to say much to her, lest she recognize his voice. "So, uh…about a few days ago…" Videl began.

Gohan shook his head. "It's whatever. Let's just not talk about it."

Videl nodded and looked at the Delivery Boy. She noticed something weird about him. Sticking out from the back of his purple pants was a furry, golden tail. _Okay, this is just too weird._ "Um, Mr. Delivery Boy, is that a…tail?"

Gohan blushed. _Goddammit, this stupid thing just _really_ overcomplicated things! What was I thinking?_ He hastily wrapped it around his waist. "Uh…yeah. There are quite a few people with them, actually!" Hey, it wasn't like that specific statement was a lie. Well, there were a few people _capable_ of growing them, at least.

"Right." Videl said. _Okay, now _that's_ peculiar. Gohan shows up to school with a tail, and now all of a sudden this guy's got one_. Videl's eyes widened. _He couldn't be…no way; this guy's way too dreamy! It's just…a coincidence, that's it! Yeah, a coincidence! Maybe it's just tail growing season or something!_

Gohan frowned, already knowing that she was probably connecting the dots between his Super Saiyan form and his normal state. "So…should we blow this place up?"

"No! It's important that we inform the cops. Besides, you'd actually get in trouble for killing these guys; you're just a vigilante, after all!" Videl replied.

Gohan nodded. Videl pulled out a cell phone and called the police force. A few minutes later, they arrived at the mansion and Gohan and Videl came out, dragging the bad guys with them.

"Good job, Videl!" The chief said.

"Oh, don't thank me; the Gold Fighter deserves all of the credit!" Videl said.

"Oh, yes, the Gold Fighter! I've been meaning to give you this…" He pulled out a badge. "It's a badge of honor! For your services, you're an honorary member of our squad."

Gohan smiled and took the badge. "Thank you, sir."

Videl smiled. "So I guess that means we're officially allies, eh Delivery Boy?"

Gohan nodded. "Well, I have to go." Gohan flew off into the night sky. Videl watched as he flew, wondering what other mysteries lay within the Gold Fighter.

* * *

><p>The next day at school, Gohan went to his locker. He was a mess. He had black circles under his eyes, clearly indicating he had worked for quite some time on their cell project. The <em>cell<em> was _perfect_ (*insert chuckles here*), having the correct colorings and labels on it. Videl walked over to the wild haired warrior.

"Yikes, you look like shit! Poor guy, you must've been working all night!" Videl remarked.

Gohan grunted. "Yeah, you better appreciate the hard work _I_ did _by myself_ because _somebody _decided to fight crime instead." Gohan said bitterly.

"Jeez, and I thought you were cranky enough without the sleep deprivation." Videl said. Gohan rolled his eyes and they both went to their homeroom.

They soon went to lunch. Gohan made a stop to the Biology lab to show Mr. Schemmel the project before going up to the roof. Videl soon joined him.

"So, my grumpy partner, I saw you going to the biology lab. What for?" Videl asked.

"I showed Mr. Schemmel the thing just to make sure it was alright." Gohan said.

"The cell?" Videl asked, not realizing how much Gohan despised that word.

Gohan looked off to the side. "Yeah, that. Anyway, he said that mine was the best he had seen in years and that an A+ was guaranteed."

Videl's face lit up. "Kick-ass! Good fucking job, Gohan!"

Gohan smirked. He had to admit, as hot as she looked when she was mad, she looked even better when she was happy and jumping around.

"As long as we're both aware that _I_ did all of the work." Gohan said.

Videl walked up closer to him. "Yeah, true, I couldn't have asked for a better partner." Videl further closed the distance between the two.

Gohan smirked again. "Y'know, I deserve a reward for my hard work."

Videl's eyes shined brilliantly. That damn arrogant smile he would have sometimes drove her absolutely nuts. It was a lot more preferable to the scowl he usually had. She slowly found herself losing control of her urges. She put her hand on Gohan's shoulders. "You're right…" She stood on her tip-toes, and now their faces were merely inches apart.

"What did you have in mind?" She said in a near-whisper. Gohan felt the cool air from her breath brush off onto his lips, and _that_ was enough to crumple his usual steel resolves. It felt damn good. The two teens leaned forward, their lips were dangerously close to touching, and…

"So, Videl, I was wondering if y – oh, my!" A startled Erasa said from the doorway with Sharpner trailing from behind. "It looks like I came in at a bad time!"

Gohan and Videl quickly broke away from each other and had equally red faces.

Sharpner laughed. "Damn, only acquainted for a week and you already can't keep your hands off each other!"

Videl looked down at the ground while playing with her fingers and Gohan scratched the back of his head. They both knew that no amount of denial could get around what almost happened between them.

Erasa devilishly smirked. "I knew it all along! I knew you two wouldn't be able to resist each other for long!"

_Now_ it was denial time. "NOTHING HAPPENED!" Videl shouted. "I noticed something interesting on the building across and I just looked over his shoulder for it; that's all!"

Erasa shot up to her longtime friend with an absurd cheeky grin on her face. "Deny all you want, but it's clear what would've happened if I hadn't have interrupted!" Videl nervously laughed. While Erasa interrogated her, Gohan stealthily escaped the whole thing and ran to his locker. The tip of his tail was fidgeting around frantically. Erasa had a point – what _would've_ happened if she wasn't there to interrupt? Gohan groaned at the whole thing. Videl already couldn't keep her hands off him in his Super Saiyan alter-ego; now she liked the regular him, too? And the worst part is that he leaned in for the damn kiss, too. That type of self-control was unacceptable; he already promised himself he wouldn't let stuff like that happen again. But dammit, she made it _so_ tempting.

Videl sighed and walked back down to the cafeteria, with Erasa and Sharpner teasing her the whole time. This situation was weird; was she really starting to develop feelings for Gohan, a guy she only knew for a week and was only barely even acknowledging her as a friend? Gohan, the most grumpy teenager on the face of the earth? Gohan, the most _ripped_, teen…Videl mentally slapped herself before the thought could finish. It was those types of lecherous fantasies that got her into this mess in the first place! And besides, she was only supposed to like the Gold Fighter. But then again, certain facts were starting to line up – the tail, the hair shape, the fact that he knows three guys who were at the Cell Games? Was mean ol' Son Gohan really the Delivery Boy she obsessed over for three years? The guy who she tried to blow four days ago? What an odd twist of fate that would be…

Gohan and Videl went to their lockers and tried not to look at each other, lest the tempting thoughts would arise. Indeed, that walk to Biology on this particular day was awkward. It was funny; Biology was the class that really brought them close together in the first place. They sat in their usual seats as Mr. Schemmel blabbed on about the projects and whatnot. In fifth and sixth period, the two were relentlessly teased by Erasa and Sharpner for their near kiss, but this time the belligerent black haired pair managed to bite back, although it usually got giggles from the blonde pair.

* * *

><p>And soon enough, it was P.E. time. Had Vegeta seen Gohan and Videl's almost-kiss, Erasa and Sharpner would've had a partner in their torture. After doing the punching practices as a warm-up, Vegeta marched to the front of class.<p>

"Listen up, brats! Today, you will all be putting your punching exercises to the test! You shall spar using only your fists, and I _expect_ to see a wide variety of attacks! We will go outside, because my wife's been bitching to me about how I need to give all of you brats fresh air. So follow me!"

They complied and followed "Coach Vegeta" to the field outside of the school. "Pair up, brats!"

Videl, of course, paired up with Gohan. Vegeta shook his head. "Idiot female. At least she's got guts."

"I won't be pulling my punches, Gohan!" Videl warned.

Gohan arrogantly laughed. "For your sake, I hope you don't."

Videl smirked and threw her best punches again…yet he still easily dodged them. Putting in no effort, Gohan evaded the variety of punches she sent his way with a maddening smirk on his face, the one that drove her wild, as if he was just trying to get her angrier. The speed of her attacks increased, and Gohan changed up by blocking her punches just to further drive home the point that she was weaker than him. Videl soon backed off to catch a breather, and sat down. Gohan did the same thing, and folded his arms.

"Such a weakling…"

Videl glared at Gohan. "Shut up! My dad can kick your ass!"

Gohan burst with laughter. A certain Saiyan prince could also be heard laughing in the background. "You're fucking kidding me! Even my father, with his strength as low as it was back in the 21st Martial Arts Tournament, would still wipe the floor with your dad."

"You're lying! My dad is the strongest!" Videl protested.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "It's so obvious that you've only heard of the previous tournaments through word of mouth. Have you ever actually _seen_ the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd martial arts tournaments?"

"Well, um, no, but-"

"My point exactly. My father, Krillin, Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, Piccolo, Jackie Chun, and tons of those other fighters from the past tournaments are _far_ more advanced in martial arts than Mr. Satan." Gohan explained. "The KameHameHa would take him out easily."

Videl shook her head, refusing to believe what was coming from Gohan's mouth. "No way! Those stupid tricks won't work on my dad!"

"You really think those are tricks, Videl? Just because some weak buffoon claims they're tricks to protect his image, doesn't mean they really-"

Videl's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Do _not_ call my father a buffoon." She sneered.

Gohan grunted. "Just let me finish! Anyway, as I was saying, those things my father did, and those things the guys from the Cell Games did, _weren't_ tricks, and I'm sure Mr. Satan knows that better than anyone."

"I still don't believe it, Gohan." Videl asserted.

Gohan laughed and shook his head. He raised his forearm. "Do you call _this_ a trick?" Gohan formed a blue ball of Ki from his palm, lighting up the area between the two. Videl's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe what she was seeing before her eyes. It really wasn't a trick; he was really able to just make some weird energy ball of light! But how? Several students took notice and gathered around to where Gohan and Videl were sitting.

Vegeta laughed. "Looks like the brat's showing these morons something good."

Videl reached forward to touch the ball of light floating above Gohan's hand. However, it disappeared before she could touch it. Gohan raised a finger and wagged it. "Uh uh uh, it's hot. Touching it is dangerous."

"H-how did you make it? Tell me!" Videl demanded.

"I used my _Ki_. Every living being has it; it's basically your life's essence. However, only experienced martial artists know how to control it and use it for various types of attacks and techniques." Gohan explained.

"So you mean to tell me that everybody in this room has the capability of making those light beams and crap if they know the proper means?" Videl asked.

"Well if you're so sure I'm full of shit, then try it yourself; that is, unless you're _too weak._" Gohan taunted.

Videl glared at Gohan. "Explain it, then. What's the method?"

"Your Ki is located in the center of your body. In order to be able to access it, you must clear your mind and focus; you must think of _nothing_." Gohan explained.

Videl extended her arms out and closed her eyes. "Clear my mind?"

"Correct. You must gather your power to your palms – take that Ki and concentrate it into a ball of light."

Videl grit her teeth, trying to find the Ki and form it into the ball of light like what Gohan made. Vegeta and Gohan both pompously laughed at how much she was struggling at this; Vegeta mastered this shit by the time he learned how to walk. Gohan just knew it from the beginning. Videl tuned the Saiyans out and continued trying to muster up the necessary Ki. Slowly, she started to see something forming from her hands; it was small, but it was there! A tiny glowing light! Several students gasped; it really wasn't a trick!

Videl's eyes lit up. "I-I did it."

"Keep focusing!" Gohan commanded. Damn, he sounded like Piccolo.

Videl complied, trying to hold onto the energy, but it was too much. The ball disappeared and Videl gasped for air.

"Heh, still doesn't change the fact that you're weak." Gohan taunted. Vegeta smirked. Kakarot's brat really had become a clone of him. Excellent!

"Shut up, I bet you weren't all that good when you first tried it, Gohan!" Videl shouted.

Gohan's grin widened. "Actually, the first time I did, I blew up a whole fucking cliff."

Videl and several of the other students blinked in complete disbelief. Several wondered if Gohan was even human. Well, they were half-right.

"He's right, brats – everybody has Ki and if you do enough training, you can harness it." Vegeta cut in. "Of course, you all are so weak, you'll never be able to do something like _this!_" Vegeta's hands began glowing with Ki, and then he turned around and fired a huge Ki wave at a large mountain far off from the distance, away from the city. In an instant, it blew up into thousands of pieces! All of the students were slackjawed, but then broke into loud roars.

"Dude, that was awesome!"

"Yeah, Gohan can make that ball, but can he do _that_?"

Gohan's laughed. "Oh, really?" Gohan cuffed his hands together, and they soon began glowing with Ki as well. "Ka...Me...Ha...Me...HA!" Gohan fired an even bigger wave of Ki at another mountain in the opposite direction, triggering an explosion so big they could feel the shockwaves even hundreds of miles away! The students looked at their classmate with their eyes dilated.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Sharpner asked.

"…whoa." Was all Videl could say.

Even the usually talkative Erasa was silent. Gohan turned to Vegeta with a truly evil smirk on his face. "Wow, I never realized how fun destruction is."

Vegeta nodded. "How fun it is, indeed."

The class stayed silent for a few minutes while several teachers ran outside to make sure things were okay. The students gained a newfound respect for Gohan and Vegeta.

"Man, screw Mr. Satan, these guys are the real deal!"

"Yeah, Gohan's awesome!"

"I wanna do that one day!"

Gohan and Vegeta shook their heads and both thought the same thing: _Stupid humans._

Videl was having a hard time processing all of this. Gohan could blow up mountains without even breaking a sweat? And what did this all say about her father, the alleged savior of the world? Those energy beams and explosions were clearly not tricks; that meant Cell was indeed capable of blowing up an entire army on his own. There was _no way_ Mr. Satan could compare to Cell or _anyone_ at the Cell Games.

Speaking of the Cell Games, those suspicions of Gohan really being the Delivery Boy arose. He knew Yamcha, Vegeta, and Piccolo, all of whom appeared at the Cell Games. Vegeta was clearly capable of changing his hair from black to gold. Gohan and the Delivery Boy both grew tails at around the same time. Both of their fathers wore orange and blue uniforms. Gohan could _blow up an entire fucking mountain_ without even breaking a sweat. Gohan just _had_ to be him. And yet, even with all of the facts, she still had a hard time buying it. It was just a lot to take in; if she hadn't had a crush on the Delivery Boy for three years she likely would have believed it no problem. But she just didn't like the thought that the guy she was so blatantly drooling over whenever he was in her presence was Gohan, who she was already developing feelings for anyway. This should've been the best thing to happen to her! Yet, it was all so confusing. Videl shook her head and walked back to the locker room.

* * *

><p>When Videl saw Gohan at his locker a few minutes later, she was a girl on a mission. "Gohan, you have to tell me: are you the Gold Fighter; are you the Delivery Boy from the Cell Games?"<p>

Gohan sighed. He knew this question would come after his little show in P.E. He was becoming increasingly careless about hiding his powers from everyone. However, the Saiyan in him _liked_ the attention and the fear it brought with it. Gohan laughed to himself; it was true. Like everyone he knew had been saying for the past three years, he really had become like Vegeta. Vegeta took refuge in the fact that people feared him for being Bulma's husband. It would bring him even greater joy when someone would recognize him from the broadcast of the Saiyan invasion and the sheer terror it would bring to their eyes. And now Gohan was reveling in the fear and respect as well.

Gohan shrugged. "You're crazy. I may be strong, but not _that_ strong. I would never in a million years be confident enough to fight Cell." Gohan lied. At the very least, he couldn't reveal that particular power because of the can of worms it would open, especially with the ever-inquisitive Videl. She would surely ask him what really happened after the cameras went off at the Cell games, and if he told her that Mr. Satan beat Cell, she would see right through the bullshit. Gohan absolutely couldn't let anybody know that he was the one who beat Cell.

Videl nodded, but she didn't really believe him. "Whatever, it's no big deal." Videl said, not wanting to further complicate the issue. "But anyway, I wanted to meet this Piccolo guy. I want to see the guy who trained you." Videl smirked. "And I want to know if you really did blow up a cliff even when you were four."

Gohan smirked. "If you say so." They both left and hopped on the flying Nimbus. Gohan tracked Piccolo's Ki signature. He was here on Earth, which was good, because if Videl found out he knew a bonafide God, the questions she would ask would be torture to him. The nimbus flew over to a waterfall, where everybody's favorite Namekian was meditating.

Videl hesitantly got off the flying nimbus. This was _him_; Piccolo Jr., the reincarnation of the Demon King. To say she was intimidated in his presence was an understatement. Piccolo opened his eyes. "What's up, kid?"

"Hello, Piccolo. This is Videl." Gohan replied.

Videl nervously laughed and walked up to the seven foot tall green man. "H-hello, M-Mr. Ex-Demon King!"

Piccolo glanced at Gohan, who glanced back at him. They both nodded, and Gohan smirked mischievously. Videl raised a suspicious eyebrow. It seemed like they were having some sort of mental exchange.

Piccolo stood up and his expression suddenly changed to an evil glare. "Insolent human! I am not the _ex_-Demon King! I will _always_ be the Demon King, you ignorant female! All of these years, I have continued planning my scheme to take this blue planet under my dominion!"

Videl shrieked. Why, her? Piccolo laughed maniacally. "I have been training this boy to become my greatest disciple; he shall help me rule this Planet once and for all! As a matter of fact, I think when I begin my reign, Satan City shall be the first city I _destroy_! MUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Videl jumped back and looked at her grumpy spiky haired friend. "G-Gohan…?"

Gohan covered his mouth, but he could hold it in no more. He burst out in laughter. "Oh, your face! You should've seen it!" Gohan choked out. "You're so fucking gullible!"

Confusion came to Videl's face. "Um…what?"

Piccolo smirked. "Don't worry, kid, it was just a joke. I don't care about taking over this planet anymore." The Namekian assured.

Gohan nodded. "Yes, Piccolo's been a good guy for as long as I've known him; well except for the whole kidnapping me and throwing me into a mountain part."

Piccolo smirked. Videl's face became serious. "Oh yeah, I was wondering something. Is it true that when Gohan first used a Ki attack, he blew up an entire cliff, Mr. Piccolo?"

Piccolo nodded. "Yes. He had trouble controlling it, but he did it. By the time I started training him hands-on, he was already capable of controlling his Ki."

"I see." Videl said. "Well, it was nice meeting you, Mr. Piccolo!"

"I'll be seeing you around, Piccolo!" Gohan said, getting on the Flying Nimbus.

"Later, kid." Piccolo replied.

They both flew off on the nimbus cloud. Piccolo smirked. Was this that love crap that Krillin and the others were talking about three years ago? He shook his head and resumed meditating. He still had yet to understand that nonsense.

Gohan dropped Videl off at her mansion in Satan City. "Goodbye, Gohan!"

"Hn."

Gohan turned around on his nimbus and flew away. When Videl left her room and went downstairs, an impatient, afro-clad father was waiting for her.

"And just where have you been, Videl?" Mr. Satan demanded. "I didn't get any word from the police force that you had a case!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "I was just out, daddy."

"IT BETTER NOT HAVE BEEN WITH A BOY! YOU KNOW THE DRILL – NO DATING A BOY UNLESS HE'S STRONGER THAN ME!" Mr. Satan, or Mark in this household, shouted.

Videl laughed. Oh, this guy _definitely_ fit this bill if she did want to date him. "Don't worry, dad, I was just flying around."

Mr. Satan broke into exaggerated wails and hugged his daughter tightly. "OH, I WAS SO WORRIED! SOME OF THOSE CRIMINALS YOU FIGHT ARE SO DANGEROUS AND I THOUGHT YOU GOT KIDNAPPED OR SOMETHING!"

Videl shook her head. Her father was _so_ overprotective. Videl broke herself from Mark's bearhug and went upstairs to her room. She lay down on her bed and thought about Gohan and the Delivery Boy. He could deny it all he wanted, but the writing was on the wall. Videl sighed; it was like her dream came true – Gohan was very attainable, and if she did get with him in the end, she'd be nabbing the Delivery Boy, too! Videl got up and went outside to her balcony. She looked at the bright afternoon sky with a smile on her face. Things were _definitely_ looking up for her. She pulled out her phone to bug her grumpy friend with some texts…


	8. Voices

**For the look in Gohan's eyes that I describe throughout the chapter, just imagine Gohan having the fully-drawn "Vegeta Eyes" during those parts rather than the typical "Son eyes" where only 2/3 of the eye has an outline**

* * *

><p>Gohan woke up the next day in a rush. He had a fierce headache that was making his standard early morning tasks take all of his strength. Gohan staggered out of the house and opted to take the Flying Nimbus to school so he could relax. At his locker a few minutes later in school, Gohan put his things away with more difficulty than usual and Videl walked up to him with a curious eye, noticing his uneasiness.<p>

"Gohan…are you alright?" She asked.

Gohan sighed. "I'm fine, I just have a headache. I'll get over it."

Videl raised an eyebrow but was nonetheless reassured. "Well, okay. Just don't let it get to you so much."

Gohan nodded and walked to homeroom. Videl was meaning to inquire about him being the Gold Fighter again but she could see that he obviously wasn't in the mood for that. Videl shook her head and walked to class. Gohan was rubbing at his temple, and Videl reminded herself that he was just having a bad headache; nothing out of the ordinary. She had the occasional one too after a particularly tough fight. As the class went on, however, Gohan's condition seemed to be getting worse. His tail unwrapped itself from his waist and began frantically waving around.

_**It's so funny to see you struggle, Gohan.**_

Gohan's head shot up upon hearing that terribly familiar voice. He looked around, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. _Was that Cell…? No, I'm just imagining things_.

_**Ah, so you can hear me! Excellent, my friend.**_

Gohan hissed through his teeth, catching the attention of Erasa, Sharpner, and Videl. Gohan grabbed his head with both hands and planted his elbows firmly on the desk. _Cell, what are you doing here? Get out of my head!_

_**Foolish boy, you should know by now that ordering me around won't work. I believe that it was Android 16 who said that I was a being who "words alone could not reach" before I crushed his head!**_

Gohan let out a frustrated growl, trying to reign in his temper, but it was becoming harder to do so. Videl looked over to him. _Gohan…what's going on with him?_

_What are you doing here in my head, Cell? WHY NOW?_ Gohan said in his thoughts. The voice laughed.

_**Oh my, your whining is just as annoying as ever.**_

Gohan growled again. Realizing that he was slowly losing control, Gohan stood up. "I-I have to go to the bathroom. May I be excused?"

Mr. Sabat sighed. "Sure, but don't be gone for too long, Gohan."

Gohan stormed out of the room. Videl's eyes became clouded with concern. _I hope he's okay._

Gohan ran to the bathroom across the hall as fast as possible. In there, he went to the sink and ran the water down onto his hands and then wiped it down his face, trying to cool himself off. Why was he hearing Cell's voice in his head? Was it Cell himself haunting him from the depths of hell? Or was it just his own mind playing tricks on him? Gohan looked up at the mirror and was shocked by what he saw in the reflection. Standing right behind him was the body that the voice tormenting him in his head belonged to – Cell. He laughed maniacally.

"_**Surprised to see me, Gohan?"**_ He asked.

Gohan glared at the mirror. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Cell laughed again. _**"Gohan, why are you so mad? I'm only trying to help you!" **_He said with feigned innocence.

"GO AWAY!" Gohan shouted.

"_**Nope, I'm afraid I can't do that. A spineless weakling like you couldn't make me leave anyway."**_

"You son of a bitch!" Swiftly, Gohan turned around to look at the android face to face…but there was nothing there, just the walls and the stalls a few feet across from him. Gohan let out a punch, but all he hit was air.

"Come out, you coward!" Gohan demanded.

"_**Turn around, Gohan."**_

Gohan did just as he directed and turned back to the mirror. Once again, in his reflection, there was Cell, standing behind him with his arms folded to his chest, as if he never moved an inch. Across his face was a maddening smirk, belittling Gohan's struggle.

"_**Your mere punches and shouting won't kill me, Gohan! You could **_**never**_** destroy me."**_

Gohan gave the being he was seeing in his reflection a smirk that was utterly devoid of sanity. "Oh, is that so?" Gohan punched the mirror in front of him, shattering it to pieces. The half-Saiyan looked at his hand, which was now tattered with shards of glass and blood. He laughed sinisterly at his work. To him, he had effectively rid himself of the monster's presence. Gohan walked out of the bathroom, not even bothering to remove the pieces of glass engraved in his hand. Gohan walked back into class and sat back in his desk. Erasa turned to him and her eyes widened in shock when she saw his hand.

"Um, Gohan…your hand is bleeding! It looks pretty messed up!" She remarked.

Gohan raised it and looked at it with disinterest. "Oh…?" He asked nonchalantly. Erasa slowly inched away from Gohan, noticing the cold, faraway look in his eyes.

"Gohan, you should get that fixed up." Videl stated.

Gohan grunted in response. "It's nothing for me to worry about." He said in a subdued, distant voice.

Sharpner reminded himself that Gohan was a person capable of blowing up mountains and that it probably really didn't hurt. Videl shook her head. There was clearly something wrong, but she knew of his short patience. "Whatever."

Soon, the bell rang, and the group headed to Algebra. During that class, Gohan thankfully didn't hear Cell's voice, although the splitting headache never left. He took his usual algebra nap, figuring a little sleep would wear it off.

An hour later, the bell rang, waking Gohan from his sleep. Much to Gohan's chagrin, the headache was still there. He groaned and headed to the roof for lunch.

* * *

><p>On the roof, Gohan stared at the sky. Sometimes, he really wished his father would be there to help him get through his problems, but nope, he was more worried about being the strongest dead guy. Gohan shook his head, trying not to think about his scatterbrained father lest his headache got worse. Gohan felt something vibrate in his pocket. He took out the culprit, his phone, and looked to see that he had a text message from Videl.<p>

_Videl: you ok?_

_Gohan: I already said it's just a headache_

_Videl: if you say so. don't go too crazy up there ;)_

_Gohan: Hn._

_Videl: WOW. you even type out the grunts :\_

Gohan sighed and placed the phone back in his pocket.

_**I guess it's only appropriate that it's called a CELL phone, huh?**_

Gohan growled. No, not again. Why was Cell hell-bent on messing with his head? "Cell, get out of my head! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

_**Cease your whining, boy. Like I said, I'm not going anywhere.**_

Gohan grabbed his head again. He slowly walked over to the door, which he promptly slammed his head against. He was going to force this bastard out of there.

_**Tsk, tsk. Not the smartest of ideas, Gohan. No matter what you do, I'll still be there!**_

"SHUT UP!" He hissed. Cell laughed, clearly enjoying this.

_**Y'know, I couldn't help but overhear your thoughts about your father. You failed that man so badly. Small wonder he opted to stay dead; if I had a son I wouldn't want to see him either!**_

Gohan slammed his head against the door again. Cell carried on like nothing happened-

_**As a matter of fact, maybe I should call him in. I'm sure he has many choice words for you!**_

"Fuck you, Cell!" Gohan sneered. He slowly backed away from the door and fell to the floor on his knees. This voice was absolutely maddening; he just wanted it to go away already!

At the lunch table, Videl could feel there was something wrong with Gohan. She couldn't explain it, but she just felt something in her heart that told her he was going through something horrible. She jumped out of her seat and ran up to the rooftop. When she got there, she saw Gohan rolling on the floor, feverishly rubbing his head.

"Gohan, what's wrong?" She cried.

"Go away!" Gohan said, both to Cell and Videl.

"Gohan, ple-"

Gohan shot up. "I SAID **GO!**" He screamed. A chill went down Videl's spine when she saw the look on his face; a picture told a thousand words, and the picture she saw before her was the face of a boy filled with pure rage and hatred. And that wasn't the only thing that was alarming…his eyes were teal! It was as if he was being possessed by a demonic spirit.

"G-Gohan…"

Gohan impatiently slammed his foot on the ground, nearly making the whole school shake. "What are you waiting for? JUST _**LEAVE!**_" He demanded.

Videl nodded and ran to the door. He was losing it, and she didn't want to be anywhere near him or else her safety would be in danger. She closed the door, and as she walked down the steps, she could hear an immense force slam it from the other side. Videl shook her head and ran downstairs with even more haste. Videl jumped back in her seat and buried her head in her hands.

"Videl, what's wrong? Is it…" Erasa asked.

"Something's wrong with Gohan." She said behind a choked sob.

The bell rang, signaling that it was time to head to third period. Videl marched to class, but the only thing on her mind was her struggling friend. _Please, Gohan, just get through whatever this is…_

* * *

><p>In Biology, Videl gazed longingly at the seat next to her, which was missing its normal occupant. Videl sighed and slouched in her desk. It was already ten minutes into class, and there was still no sign of him. As if on cue, the class door opened, and indeed, Gohan slowly walked into class. Mr. Schemmel turned in his direction.<p>

"Gohan, you're late." He said.

"Obviously." He muttered.

Mr. Schemmel rolled his eyes. "Whatever, just get to your seat."

Videl was relieved that nothing bad happened, but the look she caught in his eyes was unnerving. It was very cold, and very stern. He looked like he was going to slip at any minute. Gohan took a seat and folded his arms across his chest, he's piercing gaze never faltering.

"Gohan, what happened?" Videl whispered.

"Nothing of your concern." Gohan replied.

Videl glared at him. "Dammit, Gohan, we've already been down this stupid road before; just tell me."

"It's none of your business!" Gohan shouted.

"Gohan! Another outburst like that and you'll be seeing me in detention! You're already on thin ice as it is!" Mr. Schemmel warned.

Gohan grunted and Videl sighed. She knew better. Even though Gohan was accepting her friendship, and maybe even more than that, he still had his boundaries, and she was definitely pushing them by bombarding him with questions. She silently prayed for him to get through whatever problems he was having.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, Gohan went to P.E. His headache never ceased, but Cell was out of his head once again. He, along with the rest of the class, gave Vegeta his full attention. "So, brats, you've got the punches down, and now it's time for the kicks!"<p>

Vegeta gave a rundown of the various kicks and gave instructions on the exercises to do. However, two particular students weren't paying attention: Gohan was trying to force away his headache and Videl was keeping a close eye on him in case he went nuts again. Gohan needed someone to help him out, and she was just the one to do it.

"Alright, get to it!" Vegeta ordered.

The class spread out and started doing the kicking exercise. Videl did as well, but her mind clearly wasn't in it. Vegeta looked at Gohan; he had sensed his Ki shooting up throughout the day and wanted to make sure he wasn't going through his idiotic teen issues that would make him attempt to blow the whole damn school up.

Gohan began doing the exercises, but a certain voice had other plans…

_**Ah, so many students here. So weak, so vulnerable!**_

Gohan stopped what he was doing and grabbed his forehead. He was frustrated beyond belief. He had it with this stupid voice; why couldn't it just go away?

_Cell, I'm warning you: leave me alone!_ He demanded in his head.

_**Sending threats to disembodied voices is a sign of insanity, Son Gohan!**_

Gohan sat down on the floor and grit his teeth. If he wasn't at school, with all of these people, he would've likely have been brimming with Ki right now.

_**And I see Vegeta's here, too. He's still a little bit weaker than you. Should your weak mind finally crumble and cause you to go on a big killing rampage, he wouldn't be able to stop you!**_

"Go. Away." He said through his teeth, keeping his voice low.

_**How many times do I have to tell you that doing that won't work? Honestly, Gohan, I never took you for a fool. Right now you're acting as dumb as your father!**_

Gohan lifted a hand and furiously rubbed at his temple, trying to force that damned android's voice out of his head. He grit his teeth and let out several loud grunts, which caught Vegeta's attention. He raised an eyebrow and walked over to the struggling half-breed.

"What's got you making noises akin to that of a dying feline, brat?" Vegeta roughly asked.

Gohan opened his eyes and looked up at the prince. "S-shut up, Vegeta. It's nothing."

Vegeta smirked. "You may have inherited several of my personality traits over the years, but my talent for lying isn't one of them. I know you're hiding something, brat."

"Leave me alone! Mind your own fucking business!" Gohan hissed through his teeth.

Vegeta didn't bother to scold him for that. "I'm in a giving mood brat, so listen to what I have to say, because I only experience this type of mood once every five years or so. I know because last time I was in one I ended up with a son, and the five years prior to that I let your weakling uncle take one of the decent looking females in a purge."

If Gohan wasn't trying to force Cell's voice from his head he would've commented on how gross that information was. Instead, he halted his struggle for the moment and gave Vegeta his full attention.

Vegeta took a deep breath before speaking. He made sure his voice was low so none of the students could hear. "I think I know what may be happening to you, boy. When I was around your age, I started feeling random bouts of restlessness; I felt an urge to destroy everything around me. It utterly consumed me; I was more irritable than normal, and my brain would form any excuse for me to take out my transgressions.

"I would hear that bastard Frieza's voice in my head, constantly mocking my heritage and the fallen Saiyan race. It was as if my head was using that damned lizard as fuel for my murderous rage. Raditz and Nappa informed me that they went through the same thing during their teenage years, and the woman told me that the whole deal with the Namekian's elder happened during Kakarot's teen years, so I'm sure that particular case more than fulfilled his urges." Vegeta explained. Gohan nodded. "Anyway, you may be going through it now; that might explain why your tail has grown back after nearly ten years – your body probably knows of your foolish human emotions and wants to transform into a Great Ape so you can carry out your urges free of inhibitions."

Gohan looked down to the ground. That was certainly a lot to take in, and he felt even more uncomfortable being at this school now.

"Alright, giving time's up, brat! Whatever issues you have are up to you now." Vegeta said before turning around.

Gohan got up. "Vegeta, wait-!" He called out, but Vegeta ignored him.

_**Foolish boy, you actually think Vegeta wants to help you!**_

Gohan's fists tightened and he let out a ferocious growl, catching the attention of the students. Videl looked at him with concerned eyes.

_Gohan...something's seriously wrong…_ She thought.

Gohan continued his exercises for the remainder of the class while doing his best to ignore Cell's taunting voice in his head, although it was becoming harder to do. Vegeta kept a watchful eye on him, prepared to knock him out should he suddenly lose all reasoning. The prince figured Gohan's human side would at least keep him slightly in check, a luxury _he_ never had. The period ended without incident.

* * *

><p>Gohan walked to his locker, with his hand planted firmly on the side of his head. He carefully opened the door to his locker and put his stuff away. A worried Videl soon joined him. Gohan could already smell her from across the hall; his senses were somehow heightened. He was in an ever-growing mood for violence, but he absolutely had to fight it off. Gohan was trembling as he put his things away.<p>

Videl couldn't shake for the concern she had for her friend. She had to find a way to be at his side while he went through whatever struggle this was. She quickly came up with an excuse. "Uh…Gohan, I think I left a book at your house a few days ago; I can't find it anywhere so it must be there. Can I go with you to your house so I can get it?"

Gohan turned to her and nodded. They both walked out of the school, and Videl didn't take an eye off of Gohan for even a second. Gohan looked up at the sky.

"FLYING NIMBUS!"

The puffy yellow cloud flew to them and they both hopped on. Videl clung to Gohan's arm and they flew off. Their flight to Gohan's house was going smoothly so far. Gohan felt that Videl's warmth was calming. It was enough to cool his emotions down, as he remembered that he absolutely couldn't, and wouldn't, hurt her. However…

_**Such a pretty girl…it would be a shame if she died as a result of your clumsiness, eh?**_

That sharp pain returned to Gohan's head in spades. The half-Saiyan utterly detested that voice. He released his arm from Videl's grip and brought both of his hands to the sides of his head. Videl was startled and turned to see her friend shaking and gritting his teeth. He was violently swinging his head around as if he were fighting something in his head. Something was definitely wrong. Not wanting to endanger herself, she did the only thing she thought was logical at the moment. "Nimbus, stop! Land here!"

The cloud did exactly as she asked and descended to the forest below them. Videl gently helped Gohan off of the puffy yellow object and placed her arms on his shoulders. "Gohan…what's wrong? Just tell me!"

Gohan shoved her off of him, causing her to fall to the ground. Gohan fell to his knees and let out several frustrated growls.

_**Whoops, it looks like you accidentally knocked her to the ground! Be careful, you might put too much strength in it next time and kill her on accident!**_

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD, CELL!" He yelled in a hoarse voice.

"Cell? Gohan, why are you hearing him in your head?" Videl worriedly asked.

_**Ugh, her voice is annoying! On second thought, maybe you should just end her life now to save my ears the pain!**_

Gohan jolted up to his feet and feverishly ran to a tree. "SHUT THE FUCK…" Gohan pulled back his fist…"…**UP!**" Gohan punched the tree in front of him so hard it fell, causing the ground beneath them to shake. Gohan fell to the ground again and buried his face in it.

_**Son Gohan, I don't know why I'm making you so mad! It's not like I'm anywhere near you!**_

Gohan swung his arms down, clenched his fist tightly, and let out a piercing scream. "DAMN YOU, CELL!" He shouted.

"Gohan, you have to calm down, please!" Videl shouted, a single tear spilling from her eye. She was seriously worried about her friend's well-being. It tore her apart seeing him like this.

Gohan wasn't hearing her at all. He had it; he wanted to rid himself of this blasted voice that was devoted to tormenting him. In a rage, Gohan released a golden aura and transformed into a Super Saiyan, sending a strong wind that blew back everything around him. Videl fell to the ground and when she looked up, she was utterly astounded by what she saw.

_N-no way...! I-I must be dreaming!_ Videl thought, her jaw slumped in absolute shock. _Gohan is the Delivery Boy! He really _is_ him!_ However, that didn't matter at all. Sure it's not every day that you find out that the guy you had a stalker-like crush on for three years was also the grumpy classmate that you were developing a crush on, but that wasn't the problem at the moment. Gohan was clearly locked in a furious mental battle and was likely to snap at any moment.

_**What's wrong, Gohan? Do you want to kill me again?**__** I wouldn't do that if I were you, you might just kill the pretty girl!**_

Gohan couldn't take it anymore. Cell had to die, **now.** Gohan felt a sudden rush of power surge to his body. His muscles slightly swelled up, his aura grew, electricity sparked around him, and his hair stood straight up, leaving only a single strand hanging in front of Gohan's face. He was in his ascended Super Saiyan 2 glory, and ready to kill anything in his path. The force of his surge blew away all of the trees around him. Videl let out a scared shriek as she was pushed back.

Videl looked at Gohan in both fear and awe. This new form of his was an amazing sight. Gohan lazily stood up, teetering around a little bit before finding his balance. He looked straight up at Videl. The pigtailed crime fighter was struck with pure terror when she saw that murderous, almost _insane_ look radiating from his teal eyes. That glare he gave Stapler on the first day of school was absolutely _nothing_ compared to this. She took a defensive step back.

The image of Videl was fading from Gohan's vision; instead, it formed into a spotted, sleek, green figure known as Cell. And he was laughing at Gohan's struggles. Gohan wasn't seeing Videl anymore; he wasn't seeing his friend, who was slowly becoming more than that. He was seeing his prey. He was seeing the monster he should have killed when his father warned him to. He lunged at Videl, causing her to jump back and let out a horrified scream. She was really going to get killed out here, all alone in the forest. However, Gohan stopped short and fell back to the ground on one knee. What little was left of his self-conscience forced him from carrying out what would've been a brutal, bloody kill. Gohan screamed and repeatedly slammed his fists into the ground. Videl lost all of the strength in her legs and fell back down. This was absolutely disheartening, seeing someone she cared about so much struggling to retain even a shred of sanity. She covered her mouth, but that wasn't enough to stop the sobs that came.

Gohan looked up and clenched his fists so hard trickles of blood were spilling from it. He let out another pained, blood-curdling scream and raised his power even _further_, causing the ground to shake. Gohan's teal pupils completely disappeared, causing his eyes to become nothing but blank whiteness. Gohan let out more and more power until he felt a strong force hit the back of his neck that brought him to a sudden stop. The screaming ceased, Gohan's hair slowly sank back down, and its color faded from gold back to black. He collapsed to the ground and blacked out.

* * *

><p><strong>I got the idea about the Saiyan urge to kill during puberty from Shades of Gray by Niteryde, but with a few adjustments. It's an excellent fic, and it's complete, so make sure you read it one day! Also, REVIEW, PEOPLE! It helps me out.<br>**


	9. The Big Damn Kiss

Gohan's eyes slowly opened. Through blurred vision, he tried to make out where he was, but he was drawing a blank. As his vision gradually returned, he was able to observe the surroundings of where he was. Quickly, he realized something peculiar – he wasn't in his room. Gohan turned his head a little to look around, and after seeing the various shelves containing medical equipment, he realized he was in the Capsule Corporation infirmary, which he took many trips to after fights with Vegeta when Bulma didn't have any Senzu beans present. But why was he here now? Gohan looked off to the side and saw Videl sitting down with her head resting on a desk, clearly asleep.

_Videl…? What's she doing here?_

Gohan scratched at his temple as he tried to recollect what happened today. As he dug through the recesses of his memories, he slowly started piecing together the events that occurred over the last few hours.

First, the headache, that had him fatigued and struggling like a madman.

Then, there was that bastard Cell's voice, constantly tormenting him in his head and slowly picking apart his sanity.

Then, Vegeta explaining the pubescent Saiyan's urge to kill.

After that, there was Videl asking to go to his house to get something. _That's_ where things were getting confusing. For some reason, he just couldn't recall what happened there. Obviously, they didn't get home, or else he'd be in his room, instead of in Capsule Corp. Gohan dug deeper into his thoughts, trying to figure out how he ended up here.

Now it was all coming back to him…he went Super Saiyan. Gohan's face paled when he realized what that meant. _Oh no, I did it right in front of her! She knows now! She knows I'm the Delivery Boy from the Cell Games!_

Then, he remembered going even further than that, to the ascended Super Saiyan form that he unleashed on Cell when he was finally pushed too far on that fateful day. After that, he recalled something that made his heart skip a beat. _Videl…! I tried to attack her, didn't I? This isn't good! I've got to get answers!_ Gohan feverishly tossed the covers off of him and stood to his feet. He approached the door, until he heard a voice-

"G-Gohan…?" Videl asked weakly.

Gohan turned around to face her. Videl was now very awake upon seeing him up and well. She jumped out of her seat, nearly knocking the chair to the floor and ran to the wild haired warrior. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!"

"Videl, what did you see?" Gohan asked, his voice sounding very urgent.

Videl sighed and looked down. She knew exactly why Gohan was asking that. Videl thought things over and looked at Gohan with a firm look on her face. "I saw everything, Gohan. I know, now – you're the Gold Fighter; you're the…Delivery Boy."

Gohan lowered his head in shame. "Videl, I'm sorry for keeping it a secret from you, it's just that…" Gohan's voice trailed off.

Videl smiled at the half-Saiyan. "Don't worry, Gohan, I understand why." Videl reassured. "Although this is_ really_ awkward considering the stuff I tried to do while you were transformed." Videl said, laughing nervously.

"Well, anyway, how did I end up here? I remember getting hit in the back of the neck and everything after that is a blank." Gohan said.

"Vegeta did it. I don't know how he found you, but he saw you releasing a dangerous amount of power and knocked you out before anything worse could happen." Videl explained, recalling the events in the forest.

Gohan looked down at the floor. "I see…" Gohan said. He turned back to the door. "I have to find-"

Videl grabbed his arm. "Gohan, wait!"

Gohan sighed and turned to her. "What now?" He hissed.

"I need to know…what happened at the Cell Games? What happened after the cameras went off, Gohan?" Videl asked.

Gohan shifted his weight so he was facing her forward and took a deep breath. He knew he was going to have to be completely honest now. "Videl, what I'm about to tell you might not be easy to take in, but I assure you that it's the truth, and for the love of God, do _not_ interrupt me as I give you the story." Gohan explained, almost like he was giving military orders.

Videl nodded. "I can handle it. Now shoot."

"Alright…here's how it went. After Cell pushed me too far, I transformed into that form that you saw back in the woods…the one with the sparks." Gohan said, his voice a little uneasy knowing he nearly tried to kill her in that very form. "I killed all seven of those blue miniature Cells effortlessly by myself. After that, Cell drew out his true power, but I still completely overpowered him. I incapacitated him with two punches, a-and…" Gohan's voice trailed off again and he clenched his fists tightly. He _hated_ thinking about this part.

"…I got too cocky. I completely lost myself…instead of defeating Cell quickly, which would've been _so fucking easy_, I tried to draw his death out as long as possible, like some sadistic freak. Even Cell, the monster that absorbed millions of people, took pleasure in seeing the screams of terror in people's eyes, and forced me to watch his _spawn_ slowly pick apart my friends, was utterly terrified by me." Gohan laughed humorlessly. "Can you believe that even _he_ of all people called me a monster?" Gohan clenched his teeth together and his fists tightened, turning white from how hard he was clenching them. "And he was right…I was a fucking monster, Videl! I-I still am, too…" Gohan shook his head as he remembered the quote that would still play in his head. Videl felt a lump in her throat. The sympathy she felt for Gohan had returned in spades. "My father warned me that if I kept fucking around, Cell would snap and do something reckless. And that's _exactly_ what happened!" A single tear trailed down his face.

Videl instinctively hugged him, but Gohan gently pushed her off of him. "Don't pity me, Videl!" Gohan yelled, his voice distant. "I kicked Cell so hard that he spat out the Android he absorbed to get the power he had, causing him to revert to his previous form. The battle was basically in my hands, guaranteed, yet I _STILL_ didn't do anything!" Videl jumped back, alarmed at how he raised his voice. "Instead, I just made fun of him for his situation…after that, Cell got desperate. He billowed up until he was basically a balloon of Ki waiting to explode…and when that happened, the force of the explosion would've destroyed the entire planet."

Gohan growled. Now both of his eyes were brimming with tears, as now the most painful part of the day was the topic at hand. "My d-dad…he knew how to teleport. And so…he had an idea. I-it was the only way to save the Earth." Gohan closed his eyes and shook his head. "H-he teleported Cell to another planet in a different dimension…and Cell blew up; and my dad…"

Videl gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my God, Gohan, I…"

"And you know what the worst fucking part is, Videl? It was _in vain_!" Gohan shouted harshly. "Cell regenerated and came back even stronger than before! And the worst part was that he took _another_ one of my friends! I-it was Vegeta's son…"

Videl was confused. She could've sworn Vegeta's son was the little four year old with the purple hair she met when coming here. He was only one year old at the most when that fight happened. Videl waved it off, figuring it was probably a son from another woman years ago.

"Vegeta ended up flying in a rage, and tried to attack Cell even though he was outmatched…He was taken out easily. I broke my arm trying to save him. B-but eventually, with h-help from my father…" Gohan's fists tightened, "From _beyond the grave_…I was finally able to do it…"

Videl gasped in shock. It felt like a 50 ton anvil was dropped on her. She knew the ending to the sentence before he even got to it. "Gohan…y-y-"

"YES!" Gohan snapped. "I defeated Cell, are you happy?" He sneered. Gohan lost his resolves and broke down into tears. "But it's not like it even matters, Videl! I-I failed my father…he died because of my stupidity!" The half-Saiyan whimpered. "He died and he's never coming back…and by his _own. Fucking. Choice._" Gohan shifted his weight and slammed his fist into the wall. "He _always _does this! That moron only thinks about fighting! He thinks staying in the Other World and meeting more opponents for the rest of eternity is more important than staying here, with his wife and his _FAILURE_ of a son!" Gohan's eyes changed from onyx to teal again. "It's my fault – letting that idiot die was like letting go of a fucking leash, h-he-"

Videl cut him off by wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him the most heartfelt hug she had ever given in her life. "G-Gohan…no more…" She said behind her own tears. "I don't know about this afterlife crap or whatever you're talking about, but I just _know_ that your father doesn't think of you that way." Videl said, staring right into his now-bright eyes. "He's proud of you, Gohan, I just know it. You said it yourself before – he didn't have a malicious bone in his body."

Gohan had no response to that. He simply looked down at the floor, almost in shame.

Videl gave Gohan a warm smile. "Don't beat yourself up, Gohan." She lifted one arm up and brought it to his face, wiping away his tears. "You saved the world. You're the best son a father could have."

That did it. His teal eyes faded back to black. She said what he had been practically been crying out to hear for years. What his mom couldn't even say because he practically ensured she'd never get the opportunity to. What he made sure almost _anybody_ never got the chance to say. It was at that moment, when he realized Videl was probably the best person to ever come to him in the last three years. He looked at Videl and saw the only person that mattered to him right now.

Videl felt the strength in her legs fade away when she saw the way Gohan was looking at her. His eyes, those dark eyes, were filled with so much emotion, the likes of which she never saw on a guy before. Her power and control over herself was crumbling. She had to have this guy, _Son Gohan_, now.

The two belligerent black haired teenagers closed their eyes and leaned forward. In an instant, their lips met.

The kiss was only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity to them. It was the first real kiss for both of them, and they couldn't have had it any other way. They both gazed at each other for a few seconds, and then like two little kids, embarrassment overcame them and their cheeks both became bright red.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to them, the Prince of all Saiyans saw it all. Vegeta had been walking by in passing, but their mushy hugging caught his attention. Upon seeing them kiss, he broke out into laughter. "Oh, I just <em>love<em> being right all of the time!"

Like a gossipy schoolgirl (well, as much of a gossipy schoolgirl as a scary-as-shit Saiyan warrior could possibly be), he walked downstairs to the kitchen, where Bulma was reading one of those idiotic magazines. "It looks like the banshee was right about Kakabrat and the daughter of that buffoon. They really are mates!"

Bulma looked up at her husband and giggled. "Oh, wow, and here I thought Chi-Chi was just being insane again! Oh, we just have to see this!"

Vegeta already had already seen enough mushy bullshit for one day, but of course Bulma had to grab him by the arm and drag him back upstairs. The two walked over to the infirmary and looked through the window, where the two were sitting on the bed. Gohan's arm was around Videl's shoulder and her head was resting in his chest.

"Aww…they're so cute!" Bulma said in an exaggerated whine.

Vegeta was initially amused but now he just wanted to throw up. "Oh, enough of this!" Vegeta kicked the door open, not even caring about the tongue lashing Bulma was now giving him for it. "Okay, brats, pry off of each other this instant!" The two nervous, startled teens did exactly what he demanded. Vegeta looked at the son of his greatest rival with a maddening smirk. "And in case you're wondering, yes, I saw you two sucking each other's faces earlier!"

Gohan and Videl looked down at the ground with equally bright blushes across their cheeks. "That's not the issue at hand, however. I need to talk to Kakabrat in private."

Videl nodded and got off the bed. Bulma grabbed her arm. "Oh, Videl, follow me to the kitchen! You have to tell me _all _of the details!"

Videl laughed nervously and nodded at the heiress. "Uh…okay!"

They both stormed out of the room. Vegeta rolled his eyes. "You'd think they were the same age or something. How ridiculous." Vegeta shut the door and turned to the apprehensive half-breed sitting on the bed. "I can see you've obviously had a hell of a time trying to deal with the urges."

"Oh yeah, about that, Vegeta, thank y-"

Vegeta dismissively raised a hand to Gohan's face. "Don't. Even. Say it." He commanded harshly. "I feel like I'm going to catch that 'diabetes' affliction or whatever the hell they call it if I hang around you fools any longer." Gohan rolled his eyes as Vegeta continued. "Anyway, it's not going to get easier as long as it goes unanswered. From what the pigtailed girl said, you kept yelling out Cell's name. Obviously, your head must be playing his voice in order to get you angry enough to kill, just like what happened to me with Frieza."

"How did you deal with it?" Gohan asked, a curious eyebrow raised.

"I'm a former space pirate who used to clear planets of their inhabitants for sale – how do you _think_ I dealt with it, you nimrod?" He snarled, half-tempted to slap him over the head for asking something so dumb. Gohan looked down and scratched the back of his head, feeling dumb for not realizing the obvious answer to that question.

"So, what should I do?" Gohan asked.

"I'd suggest going around and just hunting animals, but that's probably such a mundane task to you that it wouldn't do jack shit to help." Vegeta explained bluntly.

Gohan nodded, having already entertained that thought before Vegeta even brought it up and coming up with the same conclusion.

Vegeta took a deep breath, knowing that the response to his proposal would be met with a response ranging anywhere from outrage to understanding. "At this rate, I think there's only one solution…"

"Purging a planet?" Gohan asked, reading Vegeta's line of thinking perfectly.

"Yes, brat." Vegeta replied.

Gohan smirked. "I'm sure while you were working under Frieza you encountered plenty of planets filled with scum not deserving to live. Hell, I bet Frieza's father and brother had a few planets that you missed in your little clean-up."

Vegeta's eyes widened in shock. "Brat, what are you suggesting?" Vegeta already knew the answer, but he was so surprised he just wanted to confirm that it was coming from _his_ mouth.

"How about the two of us clean up the dregs of the universe, Vegeta?" Gohan proposed, still having the mischievous smirk on his face.

Upon hearing that, Vegeta let out a _genuine_ laugh. "You really are something else, Gohan! To think, one of that idiot Kakarot's spawn actually having something beyond a simplistic view of morality! Maybe there is hope for the universe after all…"

Gohan arrogantly laughed. "You of all people should know that I've long since stopped believing in that soft bullshit, Vegeta."

Vegeta's laughter died down. "Alright, I'll see what the woman can do." Vegeta turned to leave the infirmary. "Take it easy, kid."

Gohan nodded. Although neither would ever admit it in a million years, the two had formed something that loosely resembled a father-son bond. Gohan placed his hands on his knees and thought about the past day. He could deny his feelings for Videl no longer; they definitely had something going on between them now. But, he didn't have a problem with that at all. For once, things were actually looking up for him.

* * *

><p>Videl sat at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of orange soda. She liked talking to Bulma; even though she was the richest person in the world and a super genius, she was probably the most down-to-Earth adult she ever met. Vegeta took her aside to talk to her about something, leaving Videl alone to think about the events from the last ten minutes or so. She was too happy; she finally got her guy, who happened to both be Gohan, the troubled teen who was crying for help and had looks to die for, and also happened to be the Delivery Boy from the Cell Games, the guy who <em>really<em> saved the world.

The pigtailed crime fighter rolled her eyes at that last thought. She always had a suspicion that her dad really didn't do it. It just all seemed too peculiar, because Cell was able to knock him into a cliff without putting in the least amount of effort. Mr. Satan's punches were obviously having no effect on him. And the more she hung around Gohan and found things out about him, the more she realized how weak her father was in comparison to him, Vegeta, and some of the other guys from the Cell Games. Why did her dad feel the need to lie to the whole world, most importantly, his own daughter, for fame? He took the credit from an _eleven year old boy_, just so he could get attention. Videl hardly wanted to see her dad anymore. Everything she admired about him, everything she bragged about him, was nothing but a lie. Her goal now was to ensure he admitted the truth to the world. Well, she _would_ get to the goal, as soon as she was able to look him in the eye again, that is.

Gohan went downstairs to the kitchen and joined Videl at the table. He looked off to the side with a clear blush forming on his face. Videl rolled her eyes. _For someone so badass he turns into such a dweeb when it comes to girls! _"So, Gohan," Videl began, "I guess this makes us, well, y'know…"

"I suppose." Gohan replied.

Videl's face lit up with joy. Sure, it was in grumpy Gohan-ese, but he just accepted her as his girlfriend! Videl jumped into Gohan's chair and gave him a great, big hug. "Oh, this is so great!" Videl exclaimed. She planted another kiss on his lips. "I really do like you, Gohan!"

Gohan looked off to the distance. He was really uncomfortable with all of this mushy shit. For the umpteenth time, he realized how alike he and Vegeta had become. "The feeling is mutual..."

Videl kissed him again, causing Gohan's face to reach unprecedented levels of red. Videl knew that would be the closest to an admission she'd get out of Gohan, but she didn't care. He was hers, and she was his, now. It was ironic; exactly one week ago, Gohan had completely rejected her friendship. One biology project and a whirlwind of events later, here they were, Gohan sitting on the table with Videl on his lap, her arms around his neck. Crazy how things worked out sometimes.

Vegeta came storming in. "Alright, brat, the woman figured something out. She's already nearing the completion of her latest ship, and the efficiency of the engine will allow us to go into space and travel around quickly enough so that it doesn't intrude on your studies, and…" Vegeta's voice trailed off, "_My new job,_" He sneered, "A great deal."

Almost on cue, Bulma came down to continue his explanation. "That's right! Thanks to my _immense_ genius, I've managed to build a ship that will make traveling around the universe go by as fast as traveling around a country! I just have to put in a few finishing touches. It oughta be done by tomorrow, in fact!" Bulma explained. "The trip should take about a month."

"Oh, wow, that _is_ fast." Gohan replied.

Videl was confused. "Wait, what are you guys talking about?"

Gohan looked at her very seriously. "There was a reason why I've been having such bad headaches and visions of Cell in my head. I have some important business to take care of, and it needs to be done in space, lest this whole world is in danger." Gohan said, trying to sugar-coat in a way so that Videl didn't have to know that her new boyfriend was going to space to be a killing machine.

Videl nodded. "I see. Well, you better get started as soon as possible, Gohan."

"Right." Gohan replied.

"Correct." Vegeta cut in. "You better pack your shit, because we're leaving tomorrow!" Vegeta looked at Bulma, who was giving him a smug smile. "…_after school_." He grumbled.

"Alright, I'll be ready by then." Gohan said, his voice filled with determination. Videl laughed. They just started a relationship and now he was going off to space for a month to do God knows what. Such is life when your boyfriend is a world hero. Gohan and Videl both stood up.

"Alright, Gohan, I'm ready to go home." Videl said.

Gohan nodded and turned to Bulma and Vegeta. "Later, Bulma." He nodded at Vegeta, who in turn replied with a grunt. The new couple left the building and looked around outside.

Videl giggled. "Looks like you don't need to use the cloud anymore to take me home, huh?" Gohan nodded and hoisted her up, bridal style, and took off into the air. Videl looked at Gohan in awe. This was a guy who saved the world at _eleven_. He was truly powerful. Her dad could no longer use the dumb "he has to be stronger than me" excuse. Well, as soon as she starts talking to him, at least.

Gohan and Videl landed on the balcony and looked each other in the eyes. "Well, I'll see ya later, Gohan."

"Hn."

Videl leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Gohan turned around and flew back home. Videl went in her room and then walked downstairs, where Mr. Satan was waiting for her yet again.

"Videl, I can't have you arriving home so late on a regular basis! Now I'm starting to think you really are hanging out with **BOYS**!" Mark grumbled.

Videl glared at her father and rolled her eyes. "I'm not talking to you, _father_." She said before brushing past him and walking into the kitchen. Mr. Satan looked at his daughter with concern. What's gotten her so mad? He wrote it off as crazy teenage hormones and went back to the gym.

* * *

><p>"Absolutely not! I am <em>not<em> letting my boy go out into space!" Chi-Chi furiously yelled.

Gohan, sitting down, slammed his fist down on the table. "I'm not asking for your permission, mom I'm telling you!" He snapped. Chi-Chi glared at her son, whose face immediately softened up. "Look, mom, I _need_ this. I've been having a lot of problems lately, and unless you want me to get so angry that I blow up this whole planet, I _have_ to go."

Chi-Chi calmed down, now understanding a little bit more. "I get it, Gohan." Chi-Chi said quietly. She looked down at her son and smiled. "I wouldn't want my son going on some crazy murderous rampage. You'd _never_ get into a good college!"

Gohan laughed, happy that his mom was able to understand. "Thanks, mom."

Chi-Chi grabbed his shoulders firmly. "Just be safe."

"Of course." Gohan replied.

Gohan went to his room and began packing. He had a long day ahead of him…

* * *

><p>The next day, Gohan went to his locker at school, this time headache free. His new girlfriend came to greet him. "Morning, sunshine!"<p>

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Just because we're together now doesn't mean you can start giving me such _ridiculous_ nicknames, Videl." He said, annoyance clear in his voice.

Videl laughed at him. "Yeah, whatever, Ebenezer."

Gohan smirked. "Now _that's_ better."

Videl rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up. Let's go." Videl took Gohan's hands in hers. Gohan stiffened, not exactly comfortable with flaunting their new relationship. He opened his mouth to object, but figured nothing was going to change her mind. They walked into homeroom holding hands, and now every eye in the classroom (even Mr. Sabat, drinking from his coffee mug that had some nonsense about balls being inert and things being over 9000 written on it, looked at them with curiosity). Erasa and Sharpner both stood up.

"Whoa, it's true!" Sharpner yelled.

"It's about time, you too!" Erasa exclaimed in pure glee. "Oh, this is so wonderful!" Videl and Gohan rolled their eyes and went to their seats.

Sharpner leaned over Erasa and Videl and slapped Gohan on the shoulder. "Gohan, you bastard!" He said endearingly. "I knew you had it in ya!" Gohan blushed in response.

"Oh, you just have to give me all of the details!" Erasa said to her longtime friend. Videl looked down and played with her fingers. This was so much easier when it was Bulma telling her too, but she wasn't quite sure Gohan wanted people knowing he defeated Cell any time soon.

"Maybe later…" Videl replied.

"The only downside to this is that I can't flirt with Gohan anymore." Erasa said with a frown. "Ah, oh well."

Gohan silently thanked Dende for at least getting _that_ burden off of his back. That period and the next went how they usually did, although Gohan got pats on the back from some of the guys. None of them even dared to give him jealous glances after hearing about how he blew up a mountain in P.E. two days ago.

At lunch, Gohan and Videl went to the roof. Videl was the first to speak up, "So…this trip in space. What's the purpose?"

"Videl, I won't lie to you. There's only one specific reason I'm going out there." Gohan stated firmly. He was done sugar coating stuff.

Videl's face went pallid. "You mean, you and Vegeta are gonna go killing aliens?" Videl asked in realization.

"Yes." Gohan bluntly replied. "It's for my peace of mind and well-being."

"Well, whatever. After everything I've learned about you so far, I shouldn't be shocked by anything you tell me." Videl joked. "As long as you go kick some alien ass!"

Gohan smirked and nodded. "Whatever." Then, Gohan realized something. "I hope your weak ass doesn't get in danger fighting crime without me being there to rescue you." He said with a maddening smirk on his face.

Videl shoved him in the shoulder. "Shut the hell up, Gohan. Like I keep telling you, I'm tough!"

"Weakling."

"Asshole."

"Don't flatter me."

"You're still a jerk."

"True, but at least I'm not a weakling."

Videl sighed. There were no verbal victories when it came to this guy. The rest of the day went as usual. Well, aside from Vegeta's endless supply of mating jokes in P.E. The only time the bastard ever showed joy was when it was at the expense of others…

* * *

><p>After school was over, the two flew to Capsule Corp. Gohan had already arrived there earlier in the morning to drop off his bags and supplies. When he arrived now, the "goodbye brigade" was already there. A certain bald guy with six dots on his head was the first to greet Gohan.<p>

"Hey, kid, how have you been? It's been so long since I last saw you!" Krillin said.

"I've been fine, Krillin." Gohan replied plainly.

Krillin laughed. He already knew that was the most response he would get from Gohan nowadays. Nonetheless, it was great seeing him again.

Videl pointed at the former monk. "So you're Krillin from the martial arts tournaments! I've heard a lot about you!"

A cheeky grin found its way to Krillin's face. "Oh, so is the _girlfriend_ your mom and Bulma were talking about, eh Gohan?"

Videl blushed and Gohan clocked him on his shiny head. That wasn't enough to halt Krillin's laughter. "Yup, I guess so!"

Gohan walked along and when he saw Android 18, they both exchanged nods and not a single word. Gohan liked #18 – she was to the point and didn't bombard people with words. Gohan was then tackled by two hyperactive blurs.

"GOHAN GOHAN GOHAN GOHAN!" The two toddlers of terror, Goten and Trunks, shouted in unison.

"You're really goin' into space with Papa, Gohan?" Trunks asked.

"Yup, Trunks. It should be quick, too!" Gohan replied.

"Well, good luck, 'cause I'm sure papa'll give you a really hard time!" trunks said enthusiastically.

Gohan laughed at that comment. "Yup, I'm sure of that!"

Goten looked up at his brother. His eyes began watering. "A-are you really gonna be gone…f-for a whole month, big brother?"

Gohan patted the mini-Goku on the head. "Aww, don't worry, squirt! Trust me, I'll be back before you know it!"

Goten's face cheered back up. "O-okay, Gohan!"

Chi-Chi joined the group. "Ah, Videl, it's so great to see you again!"

Videl shook Chi-Chi's hand. "Same here, Chi-Chi!"

"So, it's true…YOU TWO ARE FINALLY GOING TO GIVE ME **~GRANDCHILDREN~!**" Chi-Chi shouted in bliss.

Gohan and Videl laughed nervously. "Don't you think it's too early for that?" Gohan asked.

"True, but it's never too early to plan ahead!" Chi-Chi replied.

Vegeta came out of the compound. He was wearing his usual blue bodysuit, white gloves and boots, and modified Saiyan Armor. "Alright, brat, let's get the hell out of here. All of this damn happiness is going to make me vomit."

"You said it…" Gohan mumbled in agreement.

Chi-Chi gave her son a really big hug. "Be safe, Gohan!"

"Like I've said for the millionth time, I will!" Gohan groaned.

Videl meekly walked up to Gohan. "Ditto, Gohan."

"I promise." Gohan replied. Videl leaned forward and kissed Gohan on the lips, earning obnoxious "Aww's" from everyone in the background. Vegeta cringed.

"Alright, now we _really_ have to go, lest all of this sweetness gives me a heart attack." Vegeta ordered.

"Oh, shut up!" Bulma replied. "But really, be safe."

"For the love of _God_, woman, none of the weaklings remaining in the Cold Empire could pose even the slightest challenge to us. We'll come out unscathed." Vegeta grumbled. He turned to the giant white ship and walked up the ramp. "Now hurry the hell up, brat, or I'll leave you here!"

Gohan nodded and trailed after him. The group got out their last waves and the door to the space capsule closed.

Gohan looked around the inside ship. It looked just like the one his father took to Namek all of those years ago, but a little bigger. "So, you know exactly where some of Frieza's old planets are, right?"

"Of course. Although I took out a great deal of them, my main mission for being in space before was finding your clown of a father. Once I realized that was never happening, I left without bothering to seek out the rest of those morons." Vegeta explained.

"Alright, well let's get this shit started!" Gohan replied.

Vegeta went to the control panel and pressed the appropriate buttons. He had used ships like this for years, so it was almost second nature for him to figure out how to fly the thing. The sound of an engine rumbling could be heard, and soon the ship blasted off into the sky. Gohan looked out of the window, watching as his blue spherical home grew smaller and smaller. He was looking forward to the trip, hoping that getting a good amount of blood on his hands would cease his problems. The half-Saiyan went to one of the bedrooms and took a much-needed nap.

* * *

><p><strong>Vegeta and Gohan's thoughts about mushy bullshit pretty much echoed my own, lulz. I'm not much of a fan of the mushy emotional crap, but it's necessary in order to move the story forward.<strong>


	10. What good are secrets for, anyway?

It was a bright sunny afternoon, and a certain blue haired genius was sitting on the balcony of her large, yellow cylinder of a house, smoking a cigarette and gazing at the beautiful sky. It had been about six days since Gohan and Vegeta took their trip to go around being space vigilantes. Bulma was a bit lonely without her Saiyan prince, but it was a nice break from his yelling and demanding for her to fix his gravity room. The two warriors still had about another four weeks or so left in their space journey…

…So then why was she now hearing the familiar sound of an engine rumbling from high up in the sky? Bulma looked up and saw a spherical white object drawing in closer and closer into the atmosphere. The closer it got, the clearer its image became – it was Gohan and Vegeta's spaceship! But they were supposed to be gone for a little over a month! Why were they back now? The space capsule landed safely on the ground, and Bulma ran back into her house and eventually went downstairs and outside to the lawn. She walked over to the ship as the ramp slowly lowered. From it were the two familiar wild haired Saiyan warriors, who slowly walked down.

Both of their clothes were torn up. Gohan had holes in his pants and his purple Gi had most of the top half shredded. He also had his right arm behind his back, as if he were hiding something. Vegeta's sleeves were torn up, and his armor had cracks in it and the golden straps were busted up. What the hell had these guys done in space? The Cold Empire, or what was left of it, was supposed to be weak compared to them. For them to look so banged up meant that they must've been through something rough. Bulma ran up to the two.

"What are you guys doing back so early? It's only been six days." Bulma said.

"When we were traveling through space we got attacked by some giant metallic structure." Vegeta began, "It turned out to be controlled by Frieza's brother, Cooler. I didn't care to remember the specifics, but basically he merged his brain with the structure and used it to recreate his body in the form of thousands of metallic cyborgs. It was a pretty tough fight; I wanted to take the main Cooler myself, as it'd be the next best thing to killing Frieza, but I let the brat get the kill instead. We also brought back a little souvenir." Vegeta said with a mischievous grin. He turned to Gohan. "Show her, kid!"

Gohan lifted his arm from his back and raised it up to Bulma's line of sight. In his hand was the decapitated head of Cooler. "I got myself a trophy." Gohan said with a sadistic smirk.

All of the color left Bulma's face. "I-I…see…" Bulma stammered in disgust, not exactly wanting to see a head shoved in her face.

Vegeta laughed. "Humans…" He muttered. "Anyway, killing Cooler more than satisfied Kakabrat's thirst, so we decided to return here."

Bulma's expression returned to its neutral state and she nodded. "Okay, good." She turned around and walked back to the compound.

Gohan sighed dramatically. "Humans can be such wimps sometimes…"

"Agreed, kid." Vegeta replied. "Alright, brat, I'll see you around. I have some business to take care of."

"Like what?" Gohan asked curiously.

"I'm gonna go bang the woman." Vegeta said crudely.

Gohan cringed. "I _really_ didn't need to know that, Vegeta."

The prince laughed. "Stupid teenager."

"Well, I'm off." Gohan said.

"Hn."

Gohan flew home, where he of course got surprised reactions from Chi-Chi and Goten for being back so much earlier than expected. After a nice big dinner, the half-Saiyan went to sleep early.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Gohan destroyed the alarm clock on his desk, which in addition to its usual contraptions now had Cooler's head in a jar on it. Gohan put on his usual clothes (strategically avoiding the blasted Fred Marty shirts) and after breakfast, he flew off to Satan City…<p>

Videl was standing on her balcony, looking out at the sky longingly. She wondered what Gohan was up to. It had been a week, and she missed her new boyfriend badly. He had to do all of this crazy business in space; she was longing for the moment he could come back and be with her…

…Which came, like, really fucking soon because Gohan dropped in from the sky and was now floating right in front of her with a smirk etched across his face. "Miss me?"

Videl's eyes lit up in shock. "B-but, it's only been…"

Gohan's smirk widened. Overcome with joy, Videl jumped right off of the balcony and into Gohan's arms. "I missed you so much!" Videl gave Gohan a kiss, but this wasn't just any damn kiss. She caught Gohan's upper lip bewteen hers and slid her tongue around Gohan's mouth. Gohan's face went red again but he didn't try to break it, either. Videl broke her kiss and smiled at her work when she saw Gohan's usual badass smirk contort into the frown of a nervous little kid.

"I have _got_ to get you used to that!" Videl said playfully.

"Oh, shut up…" Gohan said weakly.

"So, why are you back so early? You said it would take a month." Videl asked.

"I ran into an 'old friend.' Now his head is in my room as a trophy." Gohan said morbidly.

Videl's face paled at the bluntness of his statement. "Umm…okay…?"

Gohan shook his head. "Well, let's get going." Gohan hoisted her up so she was lying horizontally in his arms and flew to school.

When the two arrived to homeroom, they were greeted by Erasa and Sharpner. However, what caught Gohan's interest was the brown haired girl sitting next to Sharpner. "…Lime?" He asked.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot!" Videl said. "This Lime girl said she met you three years ago! Is it true, Gohan?"

"Yeah, that's her." Gohan replied.

Lime looked confused. This black haired guy was supposed to be him? "Wait, you're Gohan? I remember your hair looking different."

Gohan smirked mischievously. "Oh, is that so?" Gohan opted not to transform inside the school lest he blow the whole room up. He instead looked at Lime and flickered his eyes to teal.

"Whoa, how'd you do that?" Lime asked.

Sharpner shook his head. "Dude, I'm not even gonna ask."

"So, Gohan, how was your little vacation or whatever?" Erasa asked. Gohan nonchalantly shrugged and sat down. Videl laughed. Looks like his space trip didn't make him any more sociable.

"Gohan, I haven't seen you in so long! How's life been for you since the Cell Games?" Lime asked.

Videl cringed, already knowing what Gohan's response would be.

"Pretty shitty, actually, what with the dead fathers and all." Gohan said dryly, looking off to the side.

Lime frowned. "Oh, my. I'm very sorry, Gohan."

"Hn."

Videl sighed. But hey, at least he wasn't yelling at everyone. About ten minutes later, Videl's watch went off.

"_Videl, there's a robbery going on in your city! We need your help!"_

Videl jolted up. "I'm on it, officer!"

Videl sprinted out of the classroom and the teacher nodded. Since Videl was going to be bored without Gohan at school, she decided to get something set up so she could get called for cases in the middle of class so she could have something to do for the next month. Gohan was about to take a nap until he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He took it out and saw he got a text from Videl:

_come along with me. I could use a hand._

Gohan sighed and texted back:

_Weakling._

He could practically hear her shouting through the phone. He stuffed it back in his pocket and raised his hand. "Mr. Sabat, I have to go the bathroom."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Mr. Sabat lazily replied.

* * *

><p>Gohan left the room and jogged out of the school, where Videl was waiting. "You sure are quick, Gohan."<p>

Gohan shrugged. "Whatever. Let's just get this bullshit over with."

Videl leapt into Gohan's arms and they flew to the scene of the crime, as directed by Videl. Gohan descended to the ground when he saw a bank with a few police cars surrounding it. The robbers had made quick work of the cops and were on their way to escape, until the two black haired teens stopped them.

"Oh, look, its two teenagers tryin' to be heroes!" One of the ski mask-clad thieves said. "Get 'em, Horatio!"

His partner nodded, and then ran over to their truck to retrieve their guns; that is, until Gohan blew it up with a Ki blast. The criminal pair's eyes nearly fell out of their respective sockets.

"Whoops, looks like I just accidentally blew up all of your weapons." Gohan said with a snicker. He looked at Videl. "Get them."

Videl maniacally smirked and cracked her knuckles. "Oh, this is gonna be fun…" Videl stalked over to the two criminals and laid an unholy beating on them. She kicked the guy with long hair in the face, sending him face first to the ground. The bald guy tried to tackle her, but she jumped up to get out of the way and then slammed her elbow right on the top of his head. The long-haired one tried to attack her from behind, but the pigtailed crime fighter nailed an elbow right to his gut. The criminal coughed out a load of spit and staggered back, holding his gut, and then he and the bald guy tried to run at Videl to attack her from both sides. However, Videl jumped back, causing the two to collide with each other head-first. Both robbers fell on their asses on the ground.

Videl impatiently tapped her forearm. "Are you guys gonna be a challenge or what?"

Gohan had to admit, this was entertaining. Sure, Videl was pathetically weak by his standards, but at least she was good enough to beat most other humans to a pulp. And she didn't even try to be graceful about it; just a rough, no holds barred beatdown.

Videl punched the long-haired guy rapidly in the face like a wild animal and then kicked the bald guy high up into the sky. He descended from his temporary flight and landed face-first right on the ground. Videl slapped her hands together.

"Takes care of those idiots." Videl said triumphantly. She turned to her boyfriend. "And I didn't even need your help!"

Gohan snorted. "So? Those guys are weak. That just means you're less pathetic than them."

Videl glared at Gohan, but then smirked mischievously. Swiftly, she swung her leg up and slammed the tip of her boot right into Gohan's family jewels. Gohan's eyes expanded to near impossible levels and he feverishly grabbed his crotch. He fell on his knees on the ground in a heap of pain. Videl folded her arms to her chest and looked down at her fallen boyfriend with a mean smirk on her lips.

"Who's pathetic now, huh?" She asked with a mocking tone.

"Y-You…bitch…!" Gohan choked out.

Videl crouched down and cupped Gohan's chin, and then raised his head so he was looking her right in the eye. She leaned in until their noses were nearly touching. "That's right, Gohan. And I'm the toughest _bitch_ you know." She said in a near-whisper.

Gohan almost wanted to rip her throat out, but he had to admit, that was kinda sexy. Videl unceremoniously dropped him and turned to the wounded cops, helping them up. "Don't worry guys, we got this all taken care of." Videl took out her phone and called the ambulance to get the cops some help. She put the criminals in handcuffs. Then, she walked over to the still hurt Gohan. "Alright, let's fly back."

"I-I'm afraid I'm a little too hurt for that. You're gonna need another ride, I guess. I think I know who can do that job…" Gohan said, doing his best to hide the smirk that wanted to form on his face. Gohan looked up at the sky. "OH, ICARUS!"

Videl cringed. Oh no, not this again. The dragon soon flew to the scene and growled at Videl when he saw her.

Gohan smiled weakly, and then grabbed his crotch again to exaggerate the pain he was in. "Hey, buddy! Videl was being a big fat meanie again and kicked me hard, so now I can't fly her to school!" Icarus growled even more loudly at Videl, who jumped back. "Looks like you're gonna have to take her! It's about half a mile straight ahead." Icarus flew to Videl and used his head to roughly haul Videl onto his back. Gohan, clearly enjoying this, added in one last thing. "Oh yeah, and she said you were stupid two weeks ago! So, make the ride as rough as possible!"

Icarus nodded and flew back to the school while Videl shouted out a string of colorful swears. Gohan jumped right back up and sadistically smirked, proud of his work. He really was efficient when it came to getting revenge. Gohan sprinted back to school, getting there almost as quickly as it would've taken him through flight.

* * *

><p>Gohan stepped back into class and walked to his seat. Mr. Sabat folded his arms. "That took you suspiciously long, Gohan."<p>

"It was pretty rough in there; had spicy food this morning." Gohan sarcastically replied.

Mr. Sabat grimaced, wishing he never even said anything. A few minutes later, Videl walked back in class. Her hair was a mess, and she had a few scrapes on her arm. She looked royally pissed. The pigtailed girl glared in Gohan's general direction and walked back to her seat. Hearing Gohan snickering, she roughly shoved him in the back of his head. Gohan responded by slapping the back of her leg with his tail. Gohan decided to have some fun and took out his phone and texted her:

_Gohan: Didn't I already tell you not mess with me? Pfft they never learn_

_Videl: fuck you_

_Gohan: :)  
><em>

Videl scowled but she was really enjoying this. She loved his endless sarcasm. Videl peered her head out and childishly stuck her tongue out at Gohan, who in turn laid back in his desk with his hands behind his head, wearing a maddening smirk on his face. Videl turned back to the class, but felt something furry tapping her shoulder. She turned back to Gohan, but he was innocently looking off to the side while whistling the opening verse to "Zenkai Power." The bell soon rang and the group of five headed off to algebra, where Gohan got right back into the routine of taking naps.

Soon after, they went to lunch, where Lime sat with Videl, Sharpner, and Erasa. Gohan was sitting on the roof per usual. Lime looked around. "Where's Gohan?"

"He's sitting on the roof." Videl answered. "He's not much of a people person."

"Oh, I see." Lime said with a frown. "Man, he really is different from when I met him."

Videl raised an eyebrow. "How was he back then?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

"Well, he was really nice and polite, not to mention friendly. Now he's like a completely different person." Lime replied. She sighed and then added, "Not to mention he dyed his h-"

Videl slapped Lime's mouth shut and then made a sush motion with her finger while shaking her head.

"What's the problem? You two have a secret or something?" Erasa asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Videl said, laughing nervously. Videl pulled out her cell phone…

_Videl: does Lime know about your blonde form or whatever_

_Gohan: Yeah, I was in it when I met her. Why?_

_Videl: just curious_

Lime sighed. "Well, anyway, it's really sad that his dad died. Then again, _both_ of my parents died and I haven't changed nearly as much." Lime mused. "I guess I shouldn't judge; some people take things differently."

"Jeez, can't we talk about something else? Almost everybody I know has at least one dead parent!" Erasa complained.

"You said it, Erasa. There's only so much sad talk I can take." Sharpner replied.

Videl and Lime rolled their eyes. They were so simple sometimes. The bell rang and Gohan came back down from the roof. He and Videl walked to Biology, hand-in-hand. The half-Saiyan still didn't like the holding hands thing, but he supposed he'd have to deal with it.

* * *

><p>Three periods later, and it was P.E. time. Gohan pressed the button on his watch to switch to his purple Gi, rather than putting on the classic orange and blue outfit. He and the rest of the class gave "Coach Vegeta" their attention.<p>

"Did you miss me?" Vegeta asked sarcastically. "You all may have gotten off easily for the past week, but rest assured, our martial arts practice shall continue as planned. Let the torture…er, _exercise_, begin!"

One of the students raised their hand. "Uh, Coach Vegeta, I have a question that I've been curious about for a while."

Vegeta scowled. "Make it quick, brat!"

"I remember in the Cell Games footage, you were able to switch your hair color to Gold. How'd you do that?" He asked.

Vegeta smirked. He opened his mouth to answer, but a certain half-breed decided to take up that task.

"You mean this?" Gohan asked from the back of the class. Gohan began gathering his Ki, and a strong wind blew around him. The class broke away and watched him closely. A golden aura exploded around him, and he transformed into a Super Saiyan, showing off his powerful form to the whole class. Needless to say, they were completely speechless.

"D-dude…you're…" Sharpner stammered, pointing his finger at Gohan.

"…the little kid that fought Cell!" Another student exclaimed.

"And the Gold Fighter!"

Lime gasped. "Oh, wow, _now_ I _definitely_ recognize you, Gohan!"

Videl giggled. _Looks like he doesn't care about keeping that a secret anymore!_

Vegeta laughed at the half-Saiyan. "It's about time you stopped worrying about that, brat!"

Sharpner wiped the sweat off of his forehead. "G-Gohan, you're something else, man." Erasa damn near fainted, in simultaneous shock and pleasure. She really hated Videl right about now.

Gohan arrogantly smirked. "I can see I caused quite the ruckus."

"You should be honored, brats!" Vegeta said. "Of course, I will soon become stronger than him."

"If you say so, Vegeta." Gohan snickered. His aura dispersed, but he remained in his Super Saiyan form.

The students were absolutely amazed. They couldn't believe that one of their very own classmates was the infamous Delivery Boy, the kid brave enough to fight Cell three years ago. They were truly in the presence of greatness.

"Alright, enough gawking, brats! Since I'm sure you're all rusty from the break, I will first require you to do all of the exercises we did previously, although mercifully, it will only be in sets of ten." Vegeta commanded.

The class knew not to groan in Vegeta's presence and did their exercises as instructed. The blonde haired, teal eyed half Saiyan finished his routine in a quarter of the time as the rest of them. The class ended about 45 minutes later.

Gohan put his stuff away at his locker, where Videl walked up to him and kissed him on the cheek. "So, what's with the change of heart, Gohan? I thought you wanted to keep the whole Gold Fighter thing a secret?"

"Well, about that…"

* * *

><p><em>Gohan and Vegeta had just flown their spaceship away from the Big Ghetti Star and narrowly escaped its explosion. The two Saiyans exhaled in relief and sat across from each other, cross-legged, on the floor.<em>

"_I'm curious, brat. Why do you choose to leave your powers hidden at school?" Vegeta asked. "And yes, I know you've already shown off a decent amount of them gradually, but my question still stands."_

"_Well, it's the attention, I guess. I don't want Krillin and the others to get all of that press." Gohan replied._

"_You do realize that Kakarot, baldy, Scarface, and the others have been well known for all of their powers for decades, now, don't you?" Vegeta sneered. "Or were you not aware that millions of people saw them in those pathetic tournaments?"_

"_Yeah, I guess you're right." Gohan replied meekly._

"_People know of our extraordinary strength, so there's no point in going to the unnecessary burden of trying to hide them." Vegeta said, his voice solemn. "Hell, I'm a walking bullseye when it comes to attention. You're aware of how the news filmed and talked about us when Nappa and I landed on Earth and broadcast it for the entire planet to see, right?" Gohan nodded. Vegeta continued. "Well, in the rare times that I go out in public, there's always that one person who recognizes me from the broadcast and screams it out."_

"_Wow, I guess it must be tough dealing with that." Gohan said sympathetically._

"_Of course not, idiot!" Vegeta barked. His mouth curled into a smirk. "It's reinvigorating to know that there are still people who run away in fear upon seeing my face!" Gohan laughed nervously in response._

"_And I don't know if you realize this, but I've got a very distinctive face and hairstyle." Vegeta deadpanned. "So people recognize me from the Cell Games as well, where they clearly saw me and Trunks transform. They know what we can do."_

"_Well, I can't argue with that…" Gohan said, looking down at the floor._

"_You're a Saiyan warrior, brat. You should be more than happy to let everyone know of your power." Vegeta explained, his voice booming with pride. "I could see it in your eyes when you and I blew up those mountains in your Physical Education class; you _loved_ seeing those looks of fear etched on your classmate's faces. Don't even try to deny it, brat."_

_Gohan's face slowly twisted into an arrogant smirk. "You're right, Vegeta. It was…exhilarating."_

"_Precisely. Flaunt your powers and be proud of it!" Vegeta exclaimed. "The humans will respect you for being the only kid with balls big enough to fight Cell head on."_

_Gohan nodded with enthusiasm. He appreciated the occasional words of advice that the Prince of all Saiyans would offer._

* * *

><p>"I guess I got tired of bullshitting around." Gohan said. "Besides, what good are secrets for, anyway?"<p>

Videl smiled. "You're exactly right, Gohan! And hey, it makes me look better since everyone knows I have the sexy Gold Fighter as my boyfriend!"

Gohan rolled his eyes. "I'm not 'sexy,' Videl." Gohan said with a snort. "I prefer, 'handsome,' rather than something so crude sounding."

The raven haired girl smirked. "If you say so, _handsome_." She replied. "Anyways, me, Erasa, Sharpner, and Lime are all going to the café, and you're going with us."

"Like hell I am!" Gohan protested.

"This is non-negotiable, Gohan." Videl said with a stern look.

"Are you forgetting that I can fly, Videl?" Gohan asked tersely.

"Yeah, and I'm sure your balls remember the beating my foot laid upon them earlier!" Videl said, with clear challenge in her voice.

Gohan cringed. He did _not_ want to relive that experience again. The half-breed sighed. "Alright, fine."

"Perfect!" Videl replied. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him with her out of the school, where their four friends were waiting for them.

"Oh, so you managed to get Gohan to come with you after all!" Erasa said. She smiled at Videl suggestively. "You didn't bribe him with _you know what_, did you?"

Gohan and Videl both blushed. "NO!" Videl shrieked. "Why are you always thinking the worst things, Erasa?"

"You guys are so funny when you're angry!" Erasa joked. The five walked into the city and went to the SunBucks café. They found a table and took seats; Gohan's of course was a few feet away from the rest of them.

"So, Lime, you've been here for nearly a week. How do you like it at Orange Star High, huh?" Erasa asked.

"It's great!" Lime replied. "I'm really thankful you guys have let me hang out with you."

"It's no problem, and at least you're receptive to our friendship, unlike a certain _OTHER_ person." Videl said, turning her head to Gohan. He unwrapped his tail, raised it to her head, and then ruffled the tip through her hair to mess it up. Videl squeezed it in defense. Gohan let out a loud shriek, catching the attention of everybody in the café. His face turned red and he began sweating profusely. The half-Saiyan doubled over and grabbed the edges of the table they were sitting at. His eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his socket.

"Damn, Gohan, what's hurting you so badly?" Sharpner asked.

Videl turned her head over to the tail that was still locked in her grip. "Well, I believe I've made a _wonderful _discovery! Looks like monkey boy's got a weakness!"

Videl mercifully let go of it, and Gohan gasped for air. He breathed heavily for a few seconds, and then he glared at his girlfriend, bearing his teeth at her. "Don't. _EVER_. Do that. Again!"

Videl laughed him off. "Sure, as long as you be an obedient boyfriend!"

Gohan roughly folded his arms against his chest and let out a loud huff. The rest of the group all laughed at Gohan's troubles.


	11. Stages

Videl said her goodbyes to Lime, Erasa, and Sharpner and walked over to Gohan. "Alright, fly me home." Videl said.

Gohan nodded and hoisted her up into his arms, and flew into the sky, with his destination being the Mr. Satan Mansion. The couple landed on the balcony, and when Gohan set Videl down, he was surprised by what he saw on the other side of her window. With his arms stiffly folded to his chest, an angry Mr. Satan was looking at them, his eyes shining with murderous intent for the wild-haired guest. Gohan was caught off guard, to say the least, but it wasn't like he couldn't beat the holy hell out of him with one arm tied behind his back.

Videl's eyes went black. "Oh…shit…" She stammered.

Mr. Satan angrily marched over to the glass door and violently slid it open. "I KNEW IT!" He shouted. "I KNEW YOU WERE WITH A BOY ALL THIS TIME!"

The two teens rolled their eyes. Videl stepped forward, "Listen, dad-"

"Oh no, Videl!" Mark interrupted. "How dare you start hanging out with him without asking my permission! This kid doesn't look strong at all, anyhow!" Mr. Satan said in contempt for Gohan.

Gohan sighed and Videl firmly planted her fists on her hips. "Step inside, dad."

Mr. Satan let out a loud huff, but complied. He walked into Videl's room, where his daughter and Gohan trailed. "Let's go downstairs, where there's a lot of space." Videl directed. Her father did as stated and when they were there, he swiftly turned around.

"Alright, Videl, you're gonna tell me exactly what the scoop is about this _boy_!" He ordered.

"The scoop is that he's stronger than you." Videl sneered, with a scowl on her face.

Mr. Satan was so dumbfounded he nearly forgot his anger and laughed arrogantly. "You've gotta be joking, Videl! There's no way this guy is stronger than me and that's a fact!" He haughtily exclaimed. "Now get out of my house, kid!"

Gohan smirked at the loudmouth buffoon and began raising his Ki, although at a slower rate than usual. A light wind began to gather around him, even indoors. Mr. Satan raised an eyebrow as Gohan's power continued rising. Gohan let out a loud yell, and a golden aura engulfed around him. His black hair became gold, his black eyes became teal; he was in his Super Saiyan state, a form Mr. Satan knew all too well.

The alleged World Champ's heart sank faster than a ship over capacity. "Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-ou're-"

"Miss me?" Gohan mockingly asked.

Mr. Satan dropped to his knees and clasped his hands together, looking on at Gohan in pleading. "Please, Mr. Delivery Boy, don't hurt me! I-I-I'll do whatever you want!"

Videl growled and shook her head. "You look pathetic, father!" Videl scolded, her voice mixed with shame and contempt. "I know the truth, too – he was the one who defeated Cell. Ironic that my boyfriend ends up being the very guy you _stole_ all the credit from."

Mr. Satan felt a 50 megaton anvil drop onto his shoulders. He looked up at his daughter, and almost wanted to turn his head away when he saw the look of anger and disappointment etched onto her face. He let his daughter down, and in a big way. The champ didn't know if he'd ever be able to repay her. "V-Videl…"

"Well?" Videl cut him off. "What do you have to say for yourself?" She asked harshly.

Mr. Satan was too shocked to form words. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat went dry. Instead, he bowed his head in shame. Videl shut her eyes and shook her head.

"Unbelievable…" She mumbled before running upstairs.

"Videl, wait-!" Mr. Satan shouted, but she was already gone. He let out a drawn out sigh. "What am I gonna do? I let my daughter down…"

Gohan powered down to his normal state. He couldn't help but feel at least a little bit of sympathy for the normally uber-confident man sulking in front of him. "You've got to do _something_, Mr. Satan."

"But _what_?" Mr. Satan whined.

"What do you think?" Gohan hissed.

Mr. Satan frowned, already knowing the answer to his question. "I'm going to have to tell the truth to the world, aren't I?"

"Yes, in all likelihood. Videl's disappointed because the man she spent so many years bragging about turned out to be lying about it all." Gohan said matter-of-factly. Mark had nothing to say to that. Gohan sighed. "Look, I don't like this any more than you do; there's a reason why I never objected to you taking credit in the first place. But you have to do something; don't allow Videl to go on resenting her father for the rest of her life," _Like me_, Gohan mentally added.

Gohan took a deep breath. "Look, how about this? So you can keep your stupid little mansion and city, I'll let our little secret remain that way, but in exchange, you're going to have to admit that the flying and other Ki techniques we do aren't tricks. You smeared the name of my father and plenty of other respectable martial artists in attempt to make yourself look better, and I won't stand for it anymore." The half-Saiyan sneered, almost raising his voice.

Mr. Satan's eyebrows arched, as he truly felt remorseful for his arrogance and obnoxiousness. It never dawned on him how damaging it'd be to the reputation of people who were, in all honesty, incredible fighters. "You've got a deal…"

Gohan nodded affirmatively. "Good." The wild haired warrior walked past Mr. Satan and to the doors of the mansion.

"But how am I going to get Videl to forgive me?" Mr. Satan asked in a wary voice.

Gohan sighed. "You figure it out." Gohan said quietly, before walking out through the doors. Mr. Satan took a deep breath, cursing himself for the situation he was now in.

* * *

><p>Gohan flew home and laughed in contempt at himself. Even after what Vegeta had told him on the ship, he still didn't want to let out his greatest achievement to the world. In truth, Gohan didn't see it that way. He wasn't proud of the fight with Cell at all. In many ways, it was both his crowning achievement, and his biggest blunder. Sure, he saved the world from destruction, but he had to become a monster to do it, and it cost him the life of his dad. His arrogance and sadistic tendencies during that fight let his fight-hungry father off his leash, allowing him to abandon his family one more time for keeps.<p>

The worst part was that even though he felt shame for the sadistic, bloodthirsty being he had temporarily been during that fight, he was slowly becoming like it anyway. All of that anger he had built up and kept repressed were seriously starting to have repercussions and making him become _that_ again, even without being in the form. Gohan took way too much pleasure in killing Cooler; he initially justified it as just the pubescent Saiyan thirst for a kill finally being satisfied, but even now, he still got great joy at the thought of doing it. The fact that he had Cooler's head sitting in a jar on his dresser as a trophy for his deeds was proof enough of that. Although at the very least, he wouldn't have to deal with voices torturing him in his head and causing him to go crazy enough to try and kill his loved ones, the fact that he was finding killing an act of enjoyment rather than necessity was disconcerting to him.

Out of curiosity, Gohan called over the Flying Nimbus. The familiar puffy yellow cloud flew to him, and Gohan hopped on like he'd normally do. However, to his dismay, rather than the soft clouds keeping him firmly on his feet, they instead gave way and caused him to fall through. In a state of shock, Gohan let himself fall to the ground even though he could've easily flown to break his fall. When Gohan hit the ground, he collapsed to his knees. His worst fears had been confirmed; he wasn't "pure" anymore. The pleasure he took in killing had overcome his good-hearted nature. Tears built up in his eyes and he started pounding the ground in a frenzy. In his rage and confusion, he powered up to his Super Saiyan state.

_Why…why is this happening to me?_ He thought in anguish.

Gohan suddenly heard a shaking in the bushes. He quickly turned around and saw a tiger leap from it, exploring around the lush forest. However, rather than letting it go about its business, Gohan instinctively blasted the animal, sending it to the floor and leaving it with a badly burned leg. Anger soon turned into shock upon realization of what he had just done. Gohan slowly walked over to the wounded tiger, confusion and guilt clouded onto his face. He sank to his knees, gazing at the tiger blankly. The howls of pain released from the animal disturbed Gohan. He looked to the sky, with nothing but rage.

_I __**hate**__ you, father! This is your fault!_ Gohan jolted up to his feet. "DO YOU HEAR ME, FATHER? THIS IS YOUR FAULT! IT'S YOUR FAULT I'M LIKE THIS!" He shouted with pure rage. Not even thinking of how silly or irrational it was, the enraged Saiyan gathered a deadly amount of Ki to his hand and then fired a massive Ki wave to the clouds, lighting up the evening sky. The blast soared well beyond the clouds before dissipating into nothingness.

Gohan's lips curled into a satisfied smirk, despite not having done anything. "I hope you got that, _daddy_." He sneered, with nothing but contemptuous sarcasm lacing the last word spoken. Gohan powered down to his normal state. He sat down and took a deep breath to help soothe his emotions. Oh, how he wished Videl was here right now…

* * *

><p>When Gohan arrived home, his mom ran up to him and told him to watch the TV. On the screen, was Mr. Satan standing on a podium, being bombarded with questions.<p>

"So what's going on?" Gohan asked, although he had a suspicion as to what it was.

"That idiot finally admitted that what you guys do aren't tricks." Chi-Chi said, her voice sounding joyful. Gohan raised an eyebrow when he heard the next statement come from his mouth.

"_And I never did say I didn't have a great deal of _help_ against Cell…"_

Gohan chuckled. That wasn't part of the deal, but at least he was trying to be somewhat honest.

"Oh yeah, and dinner's ready, too." Chi-Chi said.

"I'm not hungry…" Gohan mumbled before walking upstairs. Chi-Chi eyed her son with concern. He hadn't been in a good mood when he came in and he looked even worse going upstairs. She walked up and knocked on the door.

"Gohan, I know that look anywhere. What's the problem, son?" Chi-Chi called from behind the door.

She heard a loud growl. "It's nothing, mom!"

"You never were the greatest liar, Gohan." She replied lightly.

"Just go away, mom!" Gohan shouted.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong, son." Chi-Chi said, sternly.

The door in front of her was violently swung open. "When I say go away, go the _hell_ away!" Gohan growled.

Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed at her son. "I sure as hell am not one of your friends, Gohan. You will _not_ speak that kind of way and use that language around me!"

The demi-Saiyan scoffed. "Oh, why? Mad because your moronic husband's made me not so nice anymore?" Gohan asked venomously.

Chi-Chi's eyes widened in dismay at what she was hearing. "Son Gohan, how _dare_ you! I won't tell you again; NEVER speak of your father that way - understand?"

"What are you gonna do, huh?" Gohan sneered, slowly walking to his mother. Chi-Chi defensively backed into the wall and looked at her son apprehensively.

It was that simple act that snapped Gohan out of it. Suddenly looking very meek, Gohan looked down at the floor. "I…I'm sorry, mom…" Gohan ran back in his room and shut the door. Chi-Chi took a deep breath, and raised an arm to her chest in concern over her teenaged boy. Sure, it was her job to keep her son in check, but there were times where Gohan's change in attitude and personality left her distraught. Chi-Chi hurriedly walked downstairs.

Gohan lay down on his bed face-down and shoved a pillow on the back of his head. That was absolutely _unacceptable_. For just a second, he had actually made his mother feel threatened in his presence. What had become of him?

_No, Gohan! You're letting this all go to your head!_ Gohan reasoned to himself. _You're not turning evil; you're just a little clouded. It's no different from how Vegeta is, to take joy from killing._

His nerves calmed a little, but he still wasn't comfortable with that thought. Letting out a slow exhale, Gohan went to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning at school, Gohan put his stuff away at his locker as usual. Gohan had at least thought logically about the previous day's events: he wasn't going to turn into some crazy evil killer. He simply took rather…<em>extreme<em> measures of justice and enjoyed it too much. However, being told how bad that was in the simplest, bluntest of terms still hit him like a ton of bricks. Everyone's worst fears from the Cell Games had now become true no matter what form he was in. What would happen if a new enemy arose? Would he engage in even more reckless, sadistic behavior and possibly get someone else killed? Gohan shook his head, not even wanting to entertain the thought any further.

Videl approached him and kissed him on the cheek. She noticed the tired, angered expression on his face. "What's wrong, Gohan?"

"…nothing." Gohan said, nearly mumbling.

Videl raised a suspicious eyebrow but decided not to press things any further. The two walked to homeroom, where they exchanged their usual words with Erasa, Sharpner, and Lime. The talk of the school now was Mr. Satan finally coming and admitting that those light shows and flying weren't tricks. Of course, anybody in seventh period P.E. already knew that, but now the rest of the school did as well. People began suspecting if Mr. Satan even beat Cell.

The rest of the day went by normally, that is, until English class. Mr. Horikawa announced what they would be reading today. He passed out packets. "I've decided to give you all a little history lesson! Today, we will read an anecdote about the Saiyan invasion from eight years ago!"

Gohan groaned loudly and smacked his tail onto his desk to show his displeasure. The impact startled Erasa.

"This was an event that sent the human population into a frenzy – there were real aliens, who landed on this planet and blew up a city!" Mr. Horikawa explained. "Gohan, I want you to read it. You haven't participated much in this class."

"I don't want to." Gohan replied, with annoyance in his voice.

"Um, aren't I supposed to be the one giving directions, Gohan?" Mr. Horikawa asked.

Gohan slammed his fist on the desk. "I said I don't want to!" Gohan barked.

"And just why are you having this little attitude problem over this?" Mr. Horikawa inquired.

"You figure it out yourself. I'm sure you will as you read it anyway." Gohan sneered. "As for me, I'm going to sleep." Gohan rested his head on the desk. Videl looked at her boyfriend worriedly. She figured that there was something about this subject that irked Gohan.

"Hmph, whatever. Would someone who's not insubordinate like to read?" Some teacher's pet nerd volunteered and read the passage out loud. After she read the first two paragraphs, Mr. Horikawa decided to show a picture on the overhead projector.

"These are images from the news broadcast. The first is of the six brave fighters that fought the villainous invaders." Mr. Horikawa said.

"Oh, wow, cool! I heard about those guys from the martial arts tournaments!" One of the students said. "Yeah, the three eyed guy is Tien Shinhan, and the clown looking kid is his fellow student, Chiaotzu! Then there's the bald guy, Krillin, and then Yamcha himself! And…holy crap, it's Piccolo Jr.!" He exclaimed. "I guess even _he_ didn't like these guys! And whoa…they even got a little kid fighting, too."

Sharpner leaned in closely so he could get a good look at the picture. "Wait a second…" Sharpner began. "That kid…the face is a little younger, but I recognize it! I-It's…" Sharpner turned to a certain sleeping classmate.

"Gohan?" Videl said in astonishment.

All eyes turned to the half-breed, whose head slowly rose from the desk.

"Man, is there anything about this kid that isn't crazy? You had to be only five when this happened, Gohan!" Sharpner said.

Gohan yawned. "Whelp, looks like you all figured out the 64,000 Zeni question." Gohan said sarcastically.

Mr. Horikawa was so shocked that he didn't realize his glasses fell. "Oh, my…I see. No wonder you were so adamantly against reading."

"So let's get this straight." Some kid wearing a hat said. "Not only were you the Delivery Boy from the Cell Games, but you were also fighting alien invaders when you were a _toddler_? Man, BADASS!"

The class roared in approval of Gohan, who in response, rolled his eyes. Videl glanced at him. _Wow, his life was tougher than I thought. He must've never even had a real childhood…_

"Now, I'm sure you have a picture of the two Saiyans. How about you show _that_ picture. I'm sure you'll all be in for a big surprise." Gohan said roughly.

Mr. Horikawa nodded, although he already knew what the reaction would be. He was shocked upon seeing the picture when he was organizing his lesson plan, and got the same reaction from the students in his other Freshman English classes. "Yes, indeed. Class, look closely." Mr. Horikawa placed the picture on the overhead, earning loud gasps from the students when they saw the short, flame-haired Saiyan in the picture.

"Dude, that's Coach Vegeta! H-he's…"

"…an alien? Correct." Gohan replied.

"What the hell?" Videl exclaimed. "Coach Vegeta tried to attack this planet?"

"Oh man, I don't want to go to gym today!" Sharpner said.

Gohan growled loudly. "You idiots! Of course he's not going to try to blow this stupid school up! That was eight years ago and he's changed since then!" Gohan snarled in defense of his longtime ally.

"Well, okay, I guess that's cool." Sharpner said. "But man, we have a real live alien coaching our P.E. class! That's awesome!" Sharpner was excited until he noticed something peculiar about the two in the projection. "Wait, what's that thing around their waists? It's furry and brown, almost like…"

*THWACK!*

Gohan's tail slapped his desk again. The half-breed already knew the conclusion he was about to make.

Videl was the one to speak up. "G-Gohan, a-are you…?"

"YES!" He snapped. "I'm a Saiyan! Well, half, at least."

The whole class looked at Gohan with wide eyes. They had _two_ of these Saiyans walking around in the school. It was both freaky and cool at the same time!

Mr. Horikawa took a deep breath. "Class, if you'll excuse me, I'll be getting a drink of water." With that, the teacher left the class.

Videl looked at Gohan with blank eyes. It was definitely a lot to take in, but it did make sense; the tail, the freaky strength, the ability to change his hair and eye color. _So, Gohan's an alien…_

"So, Videl, how's it feel to have an alien for a boyfriend?" Erasa asked. Gohan groaned and buried his head back in his desk.

Videl remained blank for a minute. "Uh…it's pretty cool, actually."

Gohan sighed in relief. He was afraid Videl would try to avoid him knowing he was some alien half-breed. Of course, he didn't care one way or another if the rest of the idiots tried to stay away from him, but still.

* * *

><p>The rest of the class went by as normally as it possibly could. An hour later, they were in P.E. The class stood, waiting for Vegeta to give instructions.<p>

"First thing's first – I've been getting this stupid damn question asked all day; _yes_, I am one of the Saiyans who landed on this planet eight years ago." Vegeta said in annoyance. His lips curled into a smirk. "In fact, I am the _Prince_ of all Saiyans!"

Gohan rolled his eyes. "Yeah, all three of us." He said snidely.

Vegeta scowled at him. "QUIET, HALF-BREED!" The prince shouted.

Vegeta gave his instructions of the exercises the class were to do today. As they wall went about the tasks, Vegeta walked up to Gohan.

"Alright, brat, tell me about what's going on with you." Vegeta said nonchalantly.

"What are you talking about?" Gohan asked curiously.

"Women, they tend to engage in stupid gossip a lot. Your mother blathered about your outburst with the woman yesterday, and _of course_, she wants me to talk to you about it." Vegeta said tersely.

Gohan lowered his head. "It's just, something about me's changed."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Yes, brat, everyone who knows you has taken notice to that for the last three years." Vegeta shot back. "Now speak up!"

"No, it's not that!" Gohan replied. "Look, I tried to ride the stupid nimbus cloud yesterday and I fell through it; that's never happened before."

"I don't see what the big deal about that is." Vegeta said sincerely, not knowing much about that stupid yellow cloud Kakarot and his brats liked to ride around on a lot.

"It's just that, only people of pure hearts can ride it. People with the slightest amount of bad in their hearts will fall through." Gohan whined.

Vegeta laughed in amusement. "Well, well, looks like you've discovered the thrill of the kill!"

"What are you talking about?" Gohan asked sheepishly.

"Let me tell you a story, brat." Vegeta said, his voice calming down a bit. "Throughout my adolescent years as I was in Frieza's army, I was, shall you say, apprehensive about my job. Although a Saiyan loves to fight and destroy, I didn't exactly care for killing a bunch of pathetic, defenseless weaklings." Vegeta groaned as the memories of his experiences working for the tyrant began to return. "I usually gave my victims quick, painless deaths, and I rationalized it all as just a necessary task; in order to eventually become strong enough to overthrow Frieza and take my claim as emperor of the universe, I had to dirty my hands with people far beneath me who wouldn't even pose a threat. But after my little _ordeal_, something changed about me…" Vegeta's voice trailed off.

"What happened?" Gohan asked.

"I no longer cared about providing silly 'mercy' killings. That thirst to kill during a Saiyan's pubescent years is supposed to be their first step into manhood – the point where they throw away their childish uneasiness. After that, I began killing my victims mercilessly, taking great pleasure in drawing out their deaths, as slowly and painfully as possible." Vegeta explained, trying to keep himself from raising his voice.

Gohan gasped as the weight of the realization hit him. "You mean I'm going to become like _that?_" Gohan asked nervously.

"No, idiot!" Vegeta sneered. "You no longer have a physical _need_ to kill; you're not going to become possessed by some evil force, if that's what you're wondering. You've just developed a _taste_ for killing, boy. It's no different from when you discover a delicious food. Although you probably rationalized killing Cell as just taking necessary action, you were more than happy to kill Cooler so violently." He explained. "Hell, even I was slightly surprised by how brutally you took him out."

Gohan frowned as he came to grips with what he was being told. "I see…"

"Look, although your stupid, sentimental friends probably think it's something to be ashamed of, I can assure you that it's _not_." Vegeta growled. "You are not soft like those fools anymore, kid, and you should be proud." Vegeta smirked. "After all, you'd like nothing more than to become different from your clown of a father. Am I right?"

Gohan smirked upon hearing that. "Absolutely, Vegeta." The one thing that Gohan had sworn to himself when Goten was born was that he absolutely _wouldn't_ become like his dad. Dropping his foolish, soft, restraints, he thought, was just another step in that.

Vegeta turned around and walked away to make sure the kids were doing what they were instructed to do. "Take it easy, brat." The half-Saiyan nodded, feeling reinvigorated. He was almost too happy to hear that last sentence from Vegeta about changing.

* * *

><p>When school was over, Gohan packed up his stuff at his locker. Videl walked up to him. "So, my sexy alien friend, are you alright?"<p>

"_Handsome_," Gohan sneered, "And yes, I'm fine." Gohan said with a maniacal smirk across his face, which Videl took note of. That was certainly odd.

"Well, anyway, my father, trying to get on my good side, has offered to let me train with you." Videl explained. "And we're starting _today_."

Gohan laughed. "I see; you're finally tired of being a weakling."

"Shut up, Gohan." Videl said, shoving his shoulder. "You're gonna teach me how to fly today, got it?"

"Fine, Videl." Gohan conceded. The two left to school and flew to Gohan's home in Mount Paoz. Gohan pressed the button on his watch to switch to his purple Gi. He set Videl down on the grass, a few feet away from their home.

"Now, the first thing we need to do is make sure you're able to summon your Ki again." Gohan explained. "Do you remember that?"

Videl smiled triumphantly and nodded. "Yeah, I've actually been practicing it for the past week!"

Videl raised her hands, and her face tightened up in concentration. Slowly, a small, yellow, ball of Ki formed from between her palms. Gohan took note of how much easier of a time she had doing it. He nodded.

"Good." He stated simply. "Flying also involves use of your Ki; in order to do it, you must push your Ki under your feet and force it down. Use it as a boost to rise up from the ground."

"So, it's almost like an invisible jetpack, huh?" Videl said.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "I guess you can say that. Concentration is key to this."

The pigtailed fighter nodded and shut her eyes. She tried to do exactly as Gohan instructed her, forcing her Ki downward. A small wind built around her, and the blades of grass began to wave around from under her feet. Gohan could see her feet slowly rising from the ground. Videl could feel herself rising, but she tried to remain focused to bring herself higher.

"Good; you're only a few inches above the grass, but I supposed that's adequate." Gohan stated.

Videl gasped for air and fell back down to normal level. "Man, how the hell do you do that so easily?" She asked in exasperation.

Gohan titled his head and smirked. "I've been doing this for years; flying is no different from walking for me. Just keep practicing."

Videl wiped some sweat from her forehead. "So, how about we get a snack or something?"

Gohan grunted and turned back to the house. Gohan opened the door and Videl followed, where Chi-Chi ran up to her.

"Oh, Videl, glad to see you again!" Chi-Chi said.

"You, too, Chi-Chi!" Videl replied. "Gohan's been teaching me how to fly. We're taking a little break now."

"How delightful! We have plenty of snacks for you to eat!" Chi-Chi said.

"Thanks!"

Gohan walked upstairs to his room and went to the dresser. There was a specific outfit he was looking for. He took the specific set of clothes and laid it out on his bed. It was the familiar orange Gi and pants, blue sleeveless shirt, blue belt & wristbands, and dark blue boots. Gohan growled at the uniform in contempt and swiped it to the floor. He gathered a small amount of Ki, not enough to blow anything up, but enough to set the clothes on fire. Gohan looked at the display in delight – to him, this was him finally shutting the door, escaping from the shadow of his father. Goku officially didn't matter to him anymore, or so he thought.

When the clothes were sufficiently burned, Gohan used his Ki to create a wind to fan out the flames. He smirked in satisfaction upon seeing the charred remains of the outfit.

Videl stepped in. "What are you up to, Gohan?" Videl walked forward so she was standing next to him and looked down on the burned outfit standing below him. "What happened to your clothes?"

"Just a little accident." Gohan said nonchalantly.

"I see. Oh man, this was a replica of your father's outfit. Sorry they got messed up." Videl said, giving him a sympathetic glance.

Gohan almost laughed, as she didn't realize he was more than happy about what happened. Videl looked around his room, and her face paled when she saw the newest addition to Gohan's dresser.

"Um…Gohan, what the hell is that?" She asked nervously, pointing at the severed head being contained in a jar.

"My trophy." Gohan said sarcastically.

"Y-you mean…you weren't joking…wh-when you said his head was in your room…?" Videl asked in disbelief.

"I thought I already told you before. But yeah, I chopped his head off; big deal." Gohan said, as if they were discussing the weather.

Videl felt a shiver go down her spine at how casually her boyfriend was talking about killing someone. She let her astonishment become vocal. "How can you approach taking a life so joyously, Gohan?" She asked, trying to keep the disgust out of her voice.

"What do you mean?" Gohan asked, growing frustrated with the turn this conversation was taking.

"It's just…you took this guy's life, and here you are putting his head on display in your room like it's some big joke!" Videl exclaimed. "Look, I know there's probably scum in the universe, but a life is a life, Gohan."

Gohan sighed. "It's not a big deal, Videl."

"It is, Gohan. I just didn't think you could do something so dis…so…" Videl's voice trailed off.

"Disgusting? Is that it, Videl?" Gohan asked harshly. Videl hesitantly nodded. Gohan's eyes narrowed. He didn't like how Videl was reacting to this, like such a soft hearted fool. She was too naïve about the world to understand how certain things worked. The last thing he needed was to be judged for his Saiyan nature. And yet, that seemed to be exactly what Videl was doing.

"What's wrong, Videl?" Gohan asked bitterly, feeling slighted by her judgmental attitude. "Figuring out that your boyfriend's a _monster_, huh?" He said in a detached voice.

Videl feverishly shook her head, realizing that this conversation wouldn't end well at all. "No, I just-"

"Save it." Gohan interrupted. "I can already see it in your face. You're already making up your mind about me, aren't you?"

"Gohan…" Videl said pleadingly.

Gohan turned his back to her. "Just go."

Videl lowered her head in shame. She realized that she had overstepped her boundaries, and almost forgot that this was the guy that saved her, and 6 billion other people, from death three years ago. Videl sighed and did as asked, but not before shedding a single tear.

The half-Saiyan growled and slammed the door shut when she left. He couldn't believe how Videl was reacting to him, as if he was some psychopath who was going to kill her for no reason one day. The one person that he took companionship with was judging him and condemning him for something that in his eyes, really wasn't a big deal. There wasn't some rulebook that said that every "good guy" needs to be a soft, jovial, fool, like his father. The universe wasn't as simple Videl seemed to think, and she didn't exactly take well to having it shown to her in the form of her own boyfriend. Gohan took a deep breath and roughly sat down on his bed, cursing his luck, which was almost always horrible.

Videl stormed out of the house, but she couldn't get herself to take out the capsule to her jet and fly home, and it wasn't just because that would take a good five hours. "I really hurt him back there." She said in shame. Videl turned back to the house, but stopped when she saw a familiar figure stepping out from the window. It was Gohan, who looked to be flying away to somewhere.

"Gohan, wait!" She yelled out.

Gohan was about to jump out, but stopped when he heard her voice. "What now?" He groaned. "I'm not going to go off on a killing spree, if that's what you think."

Videl growled at him. "That's not it at all, Gohan! Just come down here."

Gohan sighed, but jumped down anyway. "What do you want?" He asked impatiently.

"I just want to understand." Videl stated.

Gohan folded his arms to his chest. "Look, Videl, things don't work as simply as you think they do. There are people in this universe who don't deserve to live."

Videl shook her head. "I understand, but how can you _enjoy_ doing it so much?"

"You already found out today that I am a half-Saiyan. It's in our very nature to love to fight. And yes, that may or may not include killing." Gohan said bluntly, not caring to sugar coat things for her. "That _doesn't_ mean I'm going to randomly kill things for my amusement, Videl. If you can't deal with that, then just find someone else, someone who's _squeaky clean_." He said bitterly.

Videl grabbed his shoulders. "No." She said firmly. "I think I understand a little, Gohan. I'm sorry." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. Gohan groaned and rolled his eyes, but didn't bother to break it, either.

"Now, are we going to stand here like idiots or are we going to resume your flying lessons?" Gohan asked gruffly.

Videl let go and smiled. That definitely sounded like something more up her alley.


	12. The Saiyan Within

Gohan and Videl's training went on for a couple of more hours. Videl continued trying to maintain focus on her Ki so she could improve her flying ability. The two decided to call it a day and went inside, where Videl had a refreshing glass of water. Goten jumped up to his older brother. He was in his pajamas, as he was about to go to bed.

"Hey, big brother, I haven't seen you all day!" He said.

Gohan laughed. "I've just been busy showing Videl how to fly."

"Ooh, when will you teach me how to do that?" Goten asked eagerly.

"Just wait until you're a little older, squirt." Gohan replied.

Goten ran to his room upstairs, and Gohan sat down on the couch. He was about to relax, until he heard his mother's voice coming downstairs.

"Gohan, what happened to your clothes?" Chi-Chi asked from the lowest step. In her hand was the orange & blue uniform that Gohan incinerated earlier. "They looked like they were burned pretty bad."

Gohan nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in the couch. "I dunno, looks like it caught on fire." He lied.

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow. "Now, Gohan, I don't recall any fires happening in the last couple of hours. That couldn't have been what burned it up, unless…" Chi-Chi couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. She didn't like the conclusion her mind reached at all.

Videl set her glass down and watched the exchange with curiosity. Earlier, she thought it was odd how Gohan's outfit was burnt up, and even stranger, she smelled the faint scent of smoke in his room as he was looking at it. She and Chi-Chi both reached the same thought. "Gohan…you didn't…" Videl said, letting her thoughts spill out loud.

Gohan could read both of their faces like a book. Angrily, he got up and glared at the two females in front of him. "You want to know what happened to it?" Gohan asked furiously. "_I _burned it! Happy?"

Chi-Chi's breath shortened upon having what she had feared confirmed. "B-but Gohan, I don't understand. Why?" She asked, almost breathlessly. Videl shook her head in disbelief.

Gohan growled. "Because I don't need him anymore! That moron was a terrible father and I burned it to get him out of my life once and for all!"

"Gohan, don't say that!" Videl cried.

"What the hell do you know, Videl?" Gohan shouted indignantly.

"Gohan, _why?_" Chi-Chi asked. "Goku loved you, Gohan, why are you so angry at him that you would burn the birthday present that you _know_ he would've wanted to give you?"

"Don't you get it, mom? I'm _through _with him! If he loved me, he would've stayed here!" Gohan hissed. "I will _never_ be him, and that godforsaken outfit brings nothing but shame to me!"

Chi-Chi's expression changed from shock to anger. "Gohan, we've been through this millions of times – you _cannot_, and _**will not**_ talk about your father that way in this house! I forbid it!"

"Good thing I don't care what you think." Gohan said, coldly.

"G-Goha-" Videl tried to say something, but gasped when she saw Chi-Chi violently swing her hand to Gohan's face to slap him. However, her palm never even reached it, because Gohan instinctively caught her wrist to cut her off. Chi-Chi let out a pained squeal. The sound of her voice in such pain was enough to horrify Gohan. He was so shocked that he couldn't even move; rather than letting go of her trapped wrist, he stared at her blankly while she sank to her knees.

Videl leapt forward and grabbed Gohan's hand. "Gohan let her go! What the hell are you doing?" She cried. She tried to pull Gohan's hand off, but it wouldn't budge at all. Gohan just continued to stare blankly. However, in his gaze, he saw tears build up in his mother's eyes. Gohan promised himself never to let himself see her cry again, as he endlessly had to deal with it following Goku's death. And now here they were, in the living room, Chi-Chi crying again, and because of _him_. That snapped Gohan out of it. He took an exasperated breath and slowly removed his hand from her wrist, trembling the entire time. Chi-Chi tended to her wrist and Videl bent down and put a soothing hand on her back.

Gohan felt absolutely disgusted with himself. He _hurt_ his mother. He had done the last thing he had ever wanted to do. That one slip, that temporary loss of control, was completely unacceptable. What if he had done worse? It broke him apart to see her now, trying to overcome the pain he just caused her.

"I…I…"

Gohan fiercely forced his eyes shut and clamped his teeth together, before turning around and running out of the house. He blasted off into the sky, having to get away from the scene as fast as he possibly could.

"Gohan, wait!" Videl called out, but it was too late. She turned back to Chi-Chi. "Are you okay?"

Chi-Chi nodded. Videl gently lifted her up and sat her down on the couch.

"What has happened to my son?" Chi-Chi cried out to nobody in particular. "He used to be so different…so kind, so calm…it's like I've lost him…" She choked out.

Videl wrapped her arm around Chi-Chi-s shoulders. "I don't know…I just hope he's alright."

Chi-Chi lightly smiled. "I'm glad that you're here, Videl. There's at least someone besides me that's willing to help him. I just _know_ that somewhere in him, there's still the son that I once had."

Videl nodded. "I hope…"

* * *

><p>At Capsule Corporation, Vegeta sat at the kitchen table, finishing off the remains of the dinner from earlier that night. Bulma walked over and took a seat next to him.<p>

"I just got off the phone with Chi-Chi; looks like Gohan ran away again, and apparently he hurt her wrist." Bulma said solemnly.

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "Really…?" he asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.

"I thought you said him going to space was supposed to stop him from acting violent." Bulma said, concerned.

"No, him getting a kill was supposed to cease the adverse side effects coming to him for not carrying out such actions. The point of it was to expose him to the thrill of the kill." Vegeta explained. "While the overwhelming need for extremely violence is gone, the pleasure it gives grows."

"But I don't get it. Goku never got like that when he was Gohan's age." Bulma mused.

Vegeta rubbed his chin, formulating an answer. "Perhaps it is because Kakarot's violent nature was wiped away when he suffered that head injury," Vegeta theorized, "However, children don't inherit such alterations to brain wiring. The brat is still a Saiyan, and he _does_ have those violent, hostile tendencies brimming within him. But it's suppressed by his human side, and the influence of life on earth. However…I, Kakarot, and many others saw how that Saiyan side came out whenever he was under intense emotions."

"I see…" Bulma said, paying close attention to Vegeta's words.

"Maybe, that's why he's changed so much over the years. He's done a poor job at keeping his emotions in check; he let the anger in him build up for the last three years and it has caused more of his Saiyan instincts and behaviors to come out and overpower the human side. Perhaps that's why he got the thirst to kill in the first place, as if his Saiyan side was just begging to be drawn out even further. And now that he's answered it, more of it has come out to the surface." Vegeta explained, deep in thought.

Bulma's eyes widened. "So do you think it'll cause him to do something terrible?"

"Doubt it." Vegeta stated dismissively. "He's still a rational being – he won't do anything to harm his loved ones. However, he's having trouble coming to grips with the changes, and it's negatively affecting his well-being as a result."

Bulma laughed at the information she was given. "Y'know, everybody's joked so much about how Gohan has become a lot like you; looks like there's more to it than we thought!"

Vegeta cracked a smirk. "Indeed." His expression became serious again. "Some of you all may think that Kakabrat is going to somehow turn into some crazy, deranged warrior as a result of these changes, but as I said, nothing horrible will happen. It's simply a change in his way of thinking and personality."

Bulma nodded. "Yeah, I know. He's still Gohan. And just because he's become the equivalent of a full-on Saiyan doesn't make him evil. I mean, look at you!" She said teasingly.

Vegeta scowled. "Oh, I can still blow this planet to smithereens if I felt like it."

"Yeah, sure Vegeta, I believe you." Bulma said sarcastically.

"I mean it." Vegeta said.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Bulma's smile became more devious. "So what do you say you follow me upstairs and _demonstrate_ some of that Saiyan ferocity, eh?"

Vegeta smirked. He definitely liked the sound of that.

* * *

><p>At school, the next day, Videl went to her locker and frowned when she saw that her boyfriend wasn't there. She was still shocked by the events of the previous night and wished she could get some answers. Videl understood that Gohan felt some anger towards his father, but why so much? From everything she heard, even from Gohan himself, he was a great man, yet Gohan spoke of him like he was his sworn enemy for life. And the worst part was his outburst to his mother. Judging from both of their reactions, especially Gohan, it wasn't something that normally happened, which somewhat calmed her nerves. She just hoped Gohan didn't run away for good.<p>

In class, there was still no sign of him. "I wonder where Gohan's at? Did he take another vacation?" Erasa asked.

"He actually came to my village to talk to my grandpa." Lime said.

Videl turned to her. "Really, what'd he say?"

"I didn't hear them. He asked to talk to him in private. He told _me _he just kinda ended up there while wandering around." Lime added. "He looked pretty mad about something when he came."

Videl frowned. She wondered where he had gone off to. Later that day, in P.E., Vegeta approached her.

"Have you seen your mate in the last day?" Vegeta asked.

"No, he went missing yesterday; do you know where he is?" Videl replied.

"I can sense his Ki – I know exactly where he is, but if I told him to return he sure as hell wouldn't listen to me." Vegeta said. "But in the chance that the brat comes running to you, tell him to come see me."

Videl nodded. She hoped that'd come sooner rather than later.

* * *

><p>After school, Videl took a walk down the city. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched, however. She stopped, and glanced around to see any suspicious behavior, but didn't see anything to out of the ordinary. Videl shrugged and continued walking around, her thoughts still focused on Gohan and where he could possibly be at. Suddenly, she saw a large shadow loom over her. Just as the pigtailed crime fighter was going to turn around to approach whatever it was, she was roughly put in a headlock. She drove an elbow in to the stomach of the burly man who grabbed her, but was then tackled down by another big man. The guy violently punched her in the face and then dragged her into a dark corner, where the he pushed her against the wall. Videl wailed in pain when she felt her back hit the hard brick surface, and then nearly coughed out blood when she felt the man's knee connect with her gut. He slammed both of his fists onto Videl's head to send her into a sitting position on the floor, leaving her to look at her two captors in fear. They both grinned.<p>

"Not too confident by yaself, are ya?" One of them taunted, in a rough, ice cold voice.

"Oh yeah, da boss is definitely gonna give us a big payday for dis one." His companion added.

The duo roughly kicked the defenseless teen several times until one of them grabbed her and taped her wrists together. He did the same thing to her ankles and her mouth and then dragged her as he ran to their truck. Videl felt absolutely helpless. It dawned on her that these two men were associates of the mob boss she had tried to attack from before, and now they found her all alone. There was nobody here to save her from her fate. The man ran as quickly as he could, as he was on limited time…

…until the truck was blown to pieces. The two stopped dead in their tracks as they watched their method of transportation burst into flames.

"What the fuck…?"

A figure engulfed in golden aura descended to the scene in front of time. The glare he sent them would send a chill down the spine of the nastiest creatures in hell. Videl looked up at the figure.

_It's Gohan!_

"Put her down." He ordered, his voice just a cold as his eyes.

One of them pulled out a knife and roughly grabbed Videl by her pigtails. He lowered the knife and placed the tip of it on her temple. "I'm afraid I can't do that, kid."

In a flash, Gohan vanished and reappeared right next to the thug. He roughly grabbed the wrist holding the knife, squeezing it so hard he caused bones to crack. The criminal dropped the knife and tended to his wrist, and his partner tried to jump Gohan. However, the Super Saiyan responded by driving his fist right through his chest and out from his back. Gohan quickly removed his now blood soaked arm from the lifeless body of the kidnapper and turned his attention to his partner, his gaze almost daring him to attack. He stepped back in response, and almost turned to run, but Gohan wasn't having that. He leapt forward and kicked the criminal so hard in the side of his head that he broke his neck, and flew right through the window of the building next to them. He was dead before he even touched the glass.

Videl was relieved that Gohan was back and saved her, although it was unnerving to see him kill the two so violently. Gohan removed the tape from her wrists, ankles, and mouth and brought her back up to her feet. Videl tightly hugged Gohan and practically shoved him against the wall before taking his lips into hers. She kissed him passionately, as if this were the last time she was ever going to see him. Videl finally broke the kiss and looked up at Gohan, her big blue eyes shining with happiness.

"You came back for me…"

"I couldn't let you get killed, Videl." Gohan replied before powering down to his normal state.

Videl rested her head in Gohan's chest until she finally spoke up. "Where have you been?"

"I've just been flying around for the past day." Gohan replied, his voice distant.

"Lime said you stopped by her village; for what?" Videl asked.

"I just saw it while I was flying around and stopped by to see if her grandpa, Mr. Lao, was there. He gave me his usual grandfatherly advice and I left." Gohan explained.

Videl nodded. "Your mom doesn't hate you for what you did, y'know…she's just worried about you."

Gohan sighed. "Look, I know, but…I can't even look her right now." Gohan said, sadly. "Is her wrist okay?"

"It's not broken or anything, just swollen." Videl informed. "But that's not the problem…Gohan, what's wrong?"

"I…don't know." Gohan said in anguish. "I don't know what came over me when my mother tried to slap me. A son shouldn't do that when they anger their mother, and yet…it was like something was telling me to fight back."

"That's not just it, Gohan." Videl said firmly. "Why do you hate your dad so much?"

Gohan growled. "I don't _hate_ him, Videl, at least when I'm thinking rationally. I just resent him."

"You didn't answer my question. Why do you _resent_ him?" She said bitingly.

Gohan rolled his eyes. "It's complicated, Videl. Throughout my life, my father's always been gone for long periods of time. At first, it wasn't a problem – the first few times were pretty much completely beyond his control, so I wasn't angry. But then, when I was about five…that's when it started to become a problem." Gohan said, his voice sounding shaky.

"What happened?" Videl asked curiously.

"He was stuck in space after a long battle, and _declined_ to return even though he could've been zapped back here in an instant so he could train in space. I began wondering…does my dad care about fighting _that_ much that he would just avoid his family to get even stronger?" Gohan said, his voice trailing off. "He was gone for almost two years, Videl. He came back, and whatever negative feelings I had went away for the most part.

"We started training for three years for a new threat after that, and during that time, I actually felt like I had a dad again, for the first time since I was four years old, he was actually back at home with us. It was great. But then, this whole mess with Cell happened." Gohan said, his voice rising. "We could've brought him back to life, but he _declined_!"

"Why would he do that, Gohan?" Videl asked.

"He _said_ he attracted too many bad guys, but he blurted out his real reason almost right after – to fight dead guys in Other World! It was _no different_ from what he did before, except now he was never coming back!" Gohan said. Now, he was outright yelling. Videl grabbed his shoulders to calm him down, but he didn't seem to notice. "Oh, sure, I was fine at first, but that idiot left me to deal with my pregnant mom on my own! No 11 year old boy should have to do something like that, Videl!" Videl flinched from how loud he was yelling now.

"Gohan, calm down." She said in a subdued voice.

Gohan growled in response. "He had some nerve to leave my mother and I behind for his own selfish reasons, and then left us with another son who would _never_ even get a chance to meet him! When Goten was born, I made a promise – to always be there for him; to never leave him behind like my dad did to me. That was when I realized how much I resented him."

"So why did you try to push everyone who just wanted to help you away, Gohan?" Videl shouted. "They were just trying to help!"

"You don't get it, Videl!" Gohan snarled. "I-I guess it all started, that one day…"

* * *

><p><em>It was May 26<em>_th__. The Cell Games had occurred exactly one year ago today. Bulma decided to get all of the friends together to celebrate his defeat, as well as to commemorate Goku. The whole gang had arrived; Yamcha, Krillin, Android 18 Master Roshi, Oolong, Piccolo, Dende, even Tien and Chiaotzu. Vegeta was there too, under the stipulation that there'd be beer. Soon, the Son family had arrived. The enormous, but always cheery Ox-King came along with Chi-Chi, holding the Goku clone, Goten, in her arms, and Gohan, who was looking off to the side as if he didn't want to be there any more than Vegeta. The gathering took place outside, where tables and chairs were set up._

_Krillin was the first to greet the family. "Ah, there they are! How are you guys doing?" he looked up at the palm tree haired baby in Chi-Chi's arms. "Wow, Goten's getting big already! He looks so much like Goku!"_

"_We're doing well, Krillin!" Chi-Chi replied. "I see you're doing fine, too."_

_Krillin walked over to Gohan. "How's it going, kiddo? It's been so long!"_

"_I'm fine, Krillin." Gohan said aloofly. Krillin raised an eyebrow but went back to socializing with everyone there._

"_Ah, Chi-Chi, I'm glad you could all make it!" Bulma said._

_Piccolo walked over to his former student. "How's it going, kid? You sure you're okay?"_

_Gohan sighed. Piccolo always knew things, somehow. "Yup; nothing to worry about, Piccolo." Gohan said with a bit of an edge to his voice. He turned to the side and took a seat. Today had been stressful; Goten woke up the whole house with his wailing and Gohan had to take extra time out of his day to deal with him. He was a little irritable and just wanted to get some sleep. Not to mention, he was apprehensive about going to this particular gathering in the first place. To him, there was nothing to celebrate about what occurred on that day._

"_I'm so glad everybody's here today!" Bulma said excitedly._

"_Yeah, agreed." Yamcha added. "It's just a shame Goku couldn't be here too." He said with a frown. Gohan shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He didn't want to hear about his father at the moment. If he were actually around, his day wouldn't have been so stressful. Gohan unconsciously clenched at the fabric of his pants._

"_Yeah, he would've really wanted to be here with us." Krillin said._

"_Bullshit."_

_Everyone stopped when they heard that word uttered by a familiar nasally voice. The group of friends all had their eyes turned to Gohan._

_Bulma spoke up. "Gohan, wha-"_

"_SON GOHAN! WHO TAUGHT YOU SUCH LANGUAGE!" Chi-Chi shrieked, nearly dropping Goten from her arms._

"_Whelp, here we go!" Vegeta yelled. "Hey, turtle hermit bastard, hand me another beer!"_

_Bulma ignored Chi-Chi and turned her attention back to the angry twelve year-old. "Gohan, what do you mean?"_

"'_He would've wanted to be here.'" He said bitterly. "Bullshit! All of it! He'd probably be too busy training to bother to come here!"_

_Several people gasped, shocked to see Gohan acting so uncharacteristically mad. "Gohan, what's come over you? You know that's not true!" Chi-Chi said._

"_Like hell it's not! That moron _never_ cared for anyone but himself!" Gohan shouted._

"_Whaddaya know, the brat hates Kakarot just as much as I do! Looks like we have something in common after all!" A slightly inebriated Vegeta shouted. Bulma slapped her soon to be husband on the arm. "What the hell was that for?"_

"_Gohan, you know Goku trained so he could be strong enough to protect us!" Chi-Chi asserted._

"_You're wrong! He only fought just so he could grow stronger!" Gohan sneered. "He doesn't care about us at all, not me, and not you. He'd be here if that weren't the case! If you think otherwise, you're a _fool!_"_

_Overcome with anger at having her and her husband, _his father_, insulted, Chi-Chi did the only thing she could think to do – she fiercely slapped her son right across the face, earning several gasps from the rest of the group. Almost immediately, Chi-Chi covered her mouth in shock. "Oh, God, I-"_

_Gohan growled, his face still tilted to the side. The slap wasn't nearly enough to hurt him, but it still shocked the hell out of him. The fact that he even drove his mother to doing something like that broke his spirit. The demi-Saiyan lowered his head, turned around, and furiously flew away from the compound._

_Gohan eventually made it back home, where jumped into his room through the window and slammed his forearm against the wall before resting his head against it. He broke down into tears. Why did he make such a fool out of himself with such an outburst? The pre-teen almost felt as if he'd never be able to show his face around them again._

* * *

><p>"I made a complete ass of myself that day." Gohan said bitterly. "I felt like I couldn't even hang around people without embarrassing myself, so I shut myself away completely. I thought that if I didn't talk to people, I wouldn't beat myself up for being such an awkward idiot. Yet people still felt the need to try and talk to me after seeing how mad I was. It made me so angry – they were ruining any effort I was trying to make! And every time I got mad, it all came back to one person; two people actually…my dad and myself. I wouldn't be so angry if it weren't for what happened three year ago!"<p>

"Gohan, ple-"

"I don't like who I am Videl, at all!" Gohan continued, almost not even noticing she tried to speak. "I'm almost a completely different person from what I used to be, and if I hadn't have been so stupid, everything would've been okay!" Gohan punched the brick wall, causing it to cave in slightly. "My dad would still be here; he'd be off training, sure, but at least I'd know he'd come back! I would be happy, Videl!"

"Can't you see, Gohan?" Videl yelled in exasperation. "All everybody's doing is trying to help you! People care; _I_ care! Just let us help you – you're not a bad person for what you did, it was an accident! Your dad may not be here, but you have to stop dwelling on what could've been and just _let go_ already!"

"I can't…" Gohan grumbled.

Videl looked him right in the eye. "You have to."

Gohan offered no response and instead looked off to the side. "I'm sorry."

Videl blinked a few times in confusion. "For what?"

"All of this stress I've probably put you through for the last day or so…I'm sorry." Gohan said.

Videl pulled his face to her and kissed him. "Don't worry about it."

Videl sighed until a thought came to her. "I almost forgot, Gohan – Vegeta said to come see you!"

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"I don't really know." Videl replied. "He just said he wanted to see you for something."

"Whatever." Gohan said. "I guess I've got no choice."

Videl grabbed Gohan's arm to indicate she was coming along with him. Gohan nodded and scooped her up into his arms and flew to West City. They eventually arrived to the familiar yellow dome, and Gohan knocked on the door. Bulma answered.

"Ah, there you are Gohan." She said. "I'm assuming you're here to see Vegeta?"

Gohan nodded. Bulma turned her attention to Videl. "Hey, Videl, what's up? Nice to see you again!"

"Hey, Bulma! Gohan here rescued me." Videl replied.

"Aww, how cute! Anyway, come with me; whatever Vegeta and Gohan are gonna talk about will probably fly over your head." Bulma directed. Videl nodded and they both walked away while Gohan searched for Vegeta's ki. He was near the gravity room, but not in it. The half-breed walked upstairs to the hallway and found the familiar flame haired Saiyan wiping himself off with a towel. He caught Gohan out of the corner of his eye.

"About time you came out of hiding, brat." Vegeta said snidely.

"Whatever; what did you want to see me for?" Gohan asked.

"You're going to be staying here for a while, kid." Vegeta explained, his tone restrained to avoid making Gohan feel uncomfortable.

"What? But why?" Gohan asked curiously. He wasn't protesting it; he didn't want to be around his mom at the moment out of guilt, but still. This was rather confusing.

"You're staying here until you and your mother can look each other in the eye again without things getting awkward." Vegeta said matter-of-factly. "She already dropped a bunch of your shit off here, so don't worry."

"But anyway, that's not the greater issue at hand; it's about you and the changes you're going through." Vegeta explained.

Gohan blinked. "Changes? Haven't we been over this, with the whole puberty and 'balls dropping' stuff that you hated talking to me about?" Gohan asked.

"No, not that, idiot!" Vegeta barked. "It's something different from that, a change that's merely affecting your consciousness."

"My consciousness?"

"Indeed. I think your change in personality over the last three years is more than just you being an angsty little shit." Vegeta said gruffly. Gohan rolled his eyes but didn't bother arguing. "Anyone who's fought alongside you knows about that power in you that would be unleashed when you became angry. Not only did your power grow, but so did your ferocity and bloodlust; it became especially apparent in your fight with Cell."

Gohan groaned, not wanting to be reminded of the bitter memory of that fight for the umpteenth time.

"That power, that change in attitude; it felt like some sort of caged animal within you was being unleashed, did it not?" Vegeta asked.

Gohan nodded. "Well yeah; where are you going with all of this?"

"You've been wearing your emotions on your sleeves for the last three years, kid. You've kept whatever anger you have bottled up within you and have let it consume you. Because of that, the caged animal, so to speak; or rather, your 'Saiyan self' that's been hidden by your human side has slowly arisen and has gradually become part of your regular consciousness." Vegeta said, trying his best to explain it. "That might be why the pubescent Saiyan's thirst for spilled blood came to you; your Saiyan nature has become such a part of you that you've been experiencing the standard Saiyan's needs as a result. By satisfying that need to kill, you've allowed more of the 'thing' you became against Cell to come out of hiding." Vegeta laughed. "In many ways, it's like you're a full-on Saiyan now, although by blood you're still a filthy half-breed!"

Gohan looked at the floor as he tried his best to take in the information he was given. "Vegeta, I was a monster when I fought Cell. Are you saying I might just go and turn evil?"

Vegeta scowled at Gohan. "For the last time, brat, no!" He impatiently hissed. "Saiyans are not inherently evil, kid. We just have a rather, _severe_, case of poor self-control, and when taken advantage of, you get people like me. You're a civilized kid, so you'll probably be able to keep yourself in check whenever you feel the random need to start blowing shit up like a standard Saiyan. However, you're having trouble adjusting to these changes, hence how you lashed out on the banshee."

Vegeta's tone became more gentle; well, as gentle as it possibly could be from him, as he continued. "It's tough, but you can do it; trust me, I nearly passed out the first time the woman made me accompany her in public. My standard procedure when being around so many peasants was to kill them all, and it took all of my mental strength to keep myself from doing it. Luckily, you've been on Earth so long that the darkest of thoughts won't come to you."

"I see, Vegeta." Gohan laughed at the thought. "Man, all of those times people said I've been becoming like you weren't a lie."

"Hn. Anyway, as long as you're here, you'll be going about your usual daily tasks and doing chores, as well as taking daily walks until you become used to keeping your natural Saiyan instincts in check." Vegeta explained.

Gohan nodded. He was glad he had Vegeta to help him out, because for one thing, he understood more than anyone what it was like keeping yourself controlled in a standard environment. He also knew that Vegeta wouldn't judge him for his new battle philosophies and wouldn't try to preach to him in a vain attempt to show him 'the better way.' Although he understood that it wasn't exactly ideal, everyone around him was just going to have to deal with it.

"Anyway, your room is across the hall." Vegeta explained. "And I can't believe I of all people am saying this, but go wash yourself off, brat. You smell like shit."

Gohan laughed and walked to his new room for the time being. He looked around and saw a few bags already lying on the floor, and took a seat on the bed. Videl walked in a few minutes later and sat down next to him.

"Bulma already told me; you're staying here for a while, huh?" Videl said.

Gohan nodded. "It seems like there's always some problem with you, even after everything seems to be solved." Videl remarked.

"Such is the life of Son Gohan…"

Videl giggled and kissed him on the cheek before resting her head on his shoulder.

"AND DON'T YOU TWO THINK YOU CAN START GETTING IT ON WHEN I'M NOT AROUND! REST ASSURED, I WILL KNOW! I DON'T WANT YOU MORONS MAKING A MESS ON THE COVERS THE WOMAN MADE ME TORTUOUSLY SHOP WITH HER FOR!" A certain gruff voice yelled from across the hall.

The two teens both blushed. The Saiyan Prince certainly insured that Gohan's stay would be interesting, to say the least.


	13. First Date

Over the weekend, Gohan got adjusted to his temporary new life at Capsule Corporation. He felt odd about himself after what Vegeta had explained to him, yet it all made sense. The changes in his personality always felt so…odd. He knew that he wasn't taking his father's death very well, but for his entire outlook on things and personality to nearly flip upside down was indicative of something different.

The way Vegeta told him, he basically had two personalities, which he had always been aware of. The first was the kind, gentle Son Gohan; the near pacifist that was devoted to protect his loved ones, but didn't exactly like the idea of having to fight to do so. But then, there was something else, too, something much worse. Whatever desire Gohan had for fighting, whatever negative emotions he felt, whatever twisted ideas he would develop would be harbored into this…_thing_. It would only come out when Gohan underwent intense emotions. This beast loved to dish out the worst punishment imaginable to the objects of its wrath and enjoyed the howls of pain and pleas for mercy he caused.

_That_ was the Saiyan in Gohan that had been part of him since birth. Since Gohan was always normally so easy going, it never had to be around until he was pushed to the edge. But Gohan had been allowing his anger, that key to his "darker" half, to continually build up over the years, and as a result, it slowly became his main personality, pushing the more human half to the side. It was a small wonder that Gohan took on so many of Vegeta's mannerisms and characteristics; Vegeta was a shining example of a Saiyan warrior. Gohan always found it strange how he had developed such a condescending viewpoint of humans, as shown by how he mocked Videl for being weak all of the time. It was a reflection of what he was allowing to take him over.

Gohan took comfort in the fact, though, that it didn't make him evil. Vegeta, in spite of how much he insisted, wasn't evil, but _was_ the very definition of a Saiyan. As long as Gohan could learn how to keep his primal instincts in check, he would be able to coexist with his friends as he always had, albeit with a different disposition and likely a clash in ideologies. But when the time for battle came, he _would_ be as ruthless as possible, and without even having to have his emotions pushed over the edge. It was something that he couldn't avoid anymore.

But what happened at his home with his mother before absolutely couldn't happen again. Vegeta basically told him that one of the reasons he was staying with his family in the first place was because he, Trunks, and Bulma were the most hot-headed people on the face of the earth. Confrontation with them was inevitable, no matter how much Gohan would try to avoid it. And so, he'd be able to get practice in learning how to shut off what his Saiyan instincts were telling him to do.

One of the first tests came on Saturday, during a spar with Vegeta…

The two Saiyans had been engaged in their usual brutal battle that rocked the walls of the gravity room. The bone crunching punches and kicks had gone on for hours, with neither man letting up for a second. However, Gohan was losing focus, letting his frustration deteriorate his concentration. Gohan furiously charged at the prince and threw a punch at him that would've beheaded an ordinary human, but Vegeta easily jumped out of the way to avoid it. Gohan was so flustered he didn't bother to look around and defend himself from the debilitating blow Vegeta landed to the back of his neck. Gohan got up in a crouching position, favoring his back, as he angrily hissed at the opponent he was having trouble attacking.

Vegeta arrogantly crossed his arms. "What's wrong, half breed? Angry because you know you can't win?" He taunted. The Saiyan warrior let out a mocking snort and tilted his head upwards. "Pathetic. You're not even worth my time."

Gohan growled in rage over being mocked and dashed at Vegeta again, violently thrusting his fist at his face. However, Vegeta stepped to the side and nailed him with a knee to the gut. The sharp pain that came roaring to his stomach sent Gohan to his knees, while Vegeta looked down on him with a maddening smirk across his face. "Tsk. You have the power but you're so pitiful that you can't even summon it."

Gohan's golden tail frantically swung from side to side as a bright aura burst around him. "You son of a bitch!" The half-Saiyan shouted before flying at Vegeta head on. He aimed another deadly punch at him, but Vegeta vanished and phased right behind him.

Before Gohan could turn around, Vegeta wrapped his arm tightly around Gohan's throat and bent him backwards. Then, he used his free hand to hook Gohan's arm. Gohan jerked around furiously as he tried to escape Vegeta's iron grip. He began pushing his power out further, but Vegeta wouldn't budge.

"You're going to need a lot more power than that to break _me_ off!" Vegeta boasted. "I bet you want to kill me so badly, don't you?"

Gohan growled at Vegeta again. If he could actually spit words out, he'd be yelling so many swears at him right about now.

"What would your father say about you if he saw you like this, huh brat?" Vegeta snickered.

_That_ did it. Gohan let out an angry roar as electricity surged around him. His hair stood straight up, and just the mere burst of power was enough to send Vegeta flying back. Gohan turned around, directing his dark gaze at the prince. Raising his arm, Gohan's palm began glowing with a lethal amount of Ki, with aim to obliterate the flame-haired warrior. Reading Gohan's intentions like a book, Vegeta phased right in front of him and grabbed his wrist.

"You have to calm down, boy!" Vegeta said, his voice commanding. "I know that was a low blow, but I am _not_ your enemy." His voice was calmer now, trying to reach out to Gohan's brain.

Gohan turned his head right to Vegeta and gazed at him. He let the Ki linger in his palms for a few more seconds before relinquishing it. His aura faded away, and his hair went back to black and sank down to its normal levels. Vegeta exhaled and powered down as well.

"If we're not fighting to the death, then why would you say something like that?" Gohan asked irritably, not looking Vegeta in the eye.

"I said it on purpose. I was trying to push the right buttons." Vegeta said gruffly. "Listen, boy, like I said earlier, you're not going to learn how to control your instincts without practice. I _had_ to do it."

Gohan gave an acknowledging nod. "Well you can give me a little warning next time." He sneered.

Vegeta laughed. "Yeah, right, brat…" Vegeta said before leaving the chamber. "Oh, and by the way, _I_ won!" He shouted triumphantly.

Gohan snarled in response but otherwise didn't dwell on anything. He took a deep breath before sitting down in the white room cross-legged. His eyes lit up (well, as much as they possibly could nowadays) when he saw a familiar face walk into a room.

"I can see you had a helluva fight in here, huh?" Videl remarked.

"Videl? What're you doing here?" Gohan asked, with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Can't a girl give her boyfriend a visit every now and then?" She asked in mock-offense. She took a seat next to Gohan and gently grabbed his hand.

"OH YEAH, AND WHAT I SAID ABOUT GETTING IT ON APPLIES TENFOLD TO THE GRAVITY ROOM! I MOST CERTAINLY AM NOT DEALING WITH THE STENCHES!" Vegeta shouted from across the hall.

Gohan's cheeks were flushed in a deep crimson red as he growled. "CAN IT, VEGETA! JUST BECAUSE YOU AND BULMA HAVE SEX TEN TIMES A DAY DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY ELSE DOES, TOO!" He indignantly shouted. He could hear both Vegeta _and_ Bulma laughing.

"Jeez, do they really do it that much?" Videl asked, with disgust in her voice.

"I was exaggerating, but those two really can't keep their hands off each other. I can't count the number of times I've caught those two over the last year or so." Gohan said, hissing in disgust as those particular memories came back to him. Although it wasn't all that unpleasant seeing Bulma naked.

"Aaaaaanyway," Videl said, wanting to get away from the particular conversation, "What have you been up to?"

"It's only been one day, Videl." Gohan said flatly.

"When it comes to you, a _lot_ can happen in a day, Gohan." Videl said matter-of-factly.

"Touché. But if you were wondering, no; unless you count me trying to blast Vegeta's head off." Gohan said with a shrug.

Videl paled. "I…see…Well anyway, I wanted to go out with you on a date tonight."

"A date?" Gohan scoffed. "What for?"

"We kinda have this boyfriend-girlfriend thing going, Gohan." Videl said sarcastically. "They tend to go out on dates."

"Saiyans do not _date,_ Videl." Gohan sneered, before cringing at how much he sounded like Vegeta. He had the tone, infliction, Saiyan pride, and everything! "Oh God, I really _am_ him!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "Well there's a first time for everything, Gohan."

"…AND THOSE FIRST TIMES ARE NOT HAPPENING IN THE GRAVITY ROOM!"

Gohan growled, marched over to the door of the gravity room and slammed it shut. He could hear Vegeta's muffled laughter from the other side.

"He sure is a handful, huh?" Videl said.

"Hn."

"But anyway, I really want this date to happen, Gohan." Videl said firmly.

Gohan sighed. "Fine. But don't complain if I decide to have a little dragon give you a ride home." He said with a snicker.

"You most certainly are _not_!" Videl said, with a little hostility. "Besides, I can fly home now!"

"Please! It took all of your effort just to float two inches off of the ground. You're not flying home any time soon." Videl glared at him, but that didn't stop Gohan's verbal assault. "If you can, prove it."

Videl pouted at Gohan and indignantly crossed her arms to her chest, as if not wanting to admit Gohan was right. The half-Saiyan put his hands on his hips and smirked victoriously.

"You win." She mumbled.

Gohan cupped his hand to his ear and leaned closer to her? "Wait, what? I didn't quite catch that." He lied. His Saiyan hearing could pick up what she said clearly, but tormenting her was much more fun.

"I SAID YOU WIN!" The hotheaded pigtailed girl growled.

"Of course I do." Gohan boasted. "Now let me get ready."

Gohan left the gravity chamber and went to his room while Videl waited on the couch downstairs. Gohan came down wearing his usual large black T-Shirt. Videl scowled at that.

"N-O, Gohan! You have to look nice tonight! You're _going_ to finally wear one of those Fred Marty shirts I bought you, _got it_?" Videl ordered harshly.

"Fat chance, Videl." Gohan spat back.

Videl snuck behind him with speed he didn't know she was capable of and grabbed hold of his tail. Gohan shrieked in pain and doubled over, latching his hands onto the couch. Videl smirked when she saw him struggling.

"You were saying?"

"Fine!" he girt out through his teeth.

Obnoxious laughter could be heard from the kitchen. "Ha! Looks the female's discovered your proverbial leash! Tough break, brat." Vegeta said.

Videl released his tail from her grip and triumphantly folded her arms across her chest. Gohan growled at her before marching back upstairs.

Bulma walked past him on the way down to the living room and giggled. "I'll tell ya, if Vegeta ever regrew his tail, I'd have such an easier time. Looks like you've lucked out."

"But I won't, so unlucky for you." Vegeta said bitingly as he joined the two in the living room.

"True, but I _can_ withhold something I know you like _very_ much." She said with a devilish smirk.

"You're so vulgar! Can't you see there's a teenager in the room, woman?" Vegeta said in disgust.

Bulma rolled her eyes. "Whoa whoa whoa, who's the one who kept shouting about them having sex, huh?"

"I was simply warning them, not making obscene jokes." Vegeta replied.

Gohan came downstairs, looking off to the side with his eyebrows furrowed in agitation as he tried his best to hide how uncomfortable he looked in his Fred Marty shirt. Per usual, it had an ugly tattoo-like design plastered on it. Vegeta didn't even try to hide his laughter.

"That is the ugliest contraption of a shirt I've ever seen! Sucks to be you, Kakabrat!" Vegeta snickered.

Gohan shot Vegeta one of his own patented glares and indignantly huffed.

"Oh, please, I think that design is pretty cool!" Bulma said.

"I'm glad somebody agrees with me." Videl replied.

"If you're blind, perhaps." Vegeta said through a chuckle.

Videl grabbed Gohan's arm. "Well, we're leaving now!"

"Be safe, you two!" Bulma said. The couple turned around and headed to the door.

"Have fun, kids!" Vegeta said with mock innocence. He was answered with Gohan's middle finger.

Bulma turned to face her husband. "Well, Trunks is still playing at Master Roshi's house. That means all the kids are gone." Bulma ran her hands up Vegeta's chest. "So…how about we prove ten times wasn't hyperbole?"

Bow-chicka-wow-wow

* * *

><p>Gohan and Videl walked around the large city. It was evening, and the street lights were lit up brilliantly as thousands of people walked by to whatever destination they were headed. Gohan was apprehensive about this whole date thing, but he liked spending time with Videl, so he'd just have to endure whatever dreadful activities are done on them.<p>

"Man, West City sure is busy!" Videl said.

"So what are we going to do?" Gohan asked impatiently.

"Well, I thought we oughta see a movie first." Videl replied.

Gohan sighed. "Whatever."

Videl frowned. "Oh, cheer up, Gohan! It won't be that bad, I promise!"

"If you say so…"

The two found the West City Movie Theater, and Videl yanked Gohan by the arm and rushed over to it. She looked at the movie posters framed on the wall and brought a hand to her chin as she tried to decide what she wanted to watch. Most of the movies were shitty, cliché romantic comedies about friends with benefits that she didn't have much interest in, or some pretentious drama made for the sole purpose of winning awards. She wanted to see a good ol' fashioned action flick; those types of movies always appealed to her the most, unlike most girls her age.

Gohan hummed in thought when he saw a movie that caught his interest. It was called "The Disposables," and from the looks of the burly, muscle bound men, this was going to be your typical action packed thriller. "How about this?" Gohan suggested, his finger pointed to the poster.

Videl looked in the direction of his index finger and gave an approving nod. "Sounds kick-ass! Let's go!"

Gohan sighed in relief. He had almost forgotten how different Videl was from most girls, and how she was likely to actually want to see a good action packed movie rather than the typical mushy bullshit that most girls are interested. The Saiyan warrior definitely found the right girlfriend in her.

Videl went to the booth and bought their tickets. They walked into the theater, and Gohan's face winced uncomfortably when he smelled all of the popcorn, spilled soda, and spoiled cheese in the place. _Humans can be so nasty_. Gohan thought as he studiously looked around to make sure he didn't run into anyone from school. Videl was the only person from that blasted place that he tolerated. Videl stopped and turned to one of the counters.

"I'm gonna go get us some food, hun. Wait up a minute." Videl said.

Gohan was about to object to being called such affectionate nicknames, but she left. He shrugged and continued looking around until he found himself walking to the arcade. Some of the gaming machines intrigued him; most of them were shooting and racing games, but there was one that brought a fascinated gleam to his eye. The game in question was Hyper Street Warrior 2, and it was of course a fighting game. Gohan stepped closer to the machine and gazed at the start screen. It was like the character wearing the black gi on it was speaking to him, begging for him to conquer the game. Hastily, Gohan dug his hand into his pocket and found a couple of coins and dropped them into the machine. A confirmation sound buzzed from it and Gohan grabbed hold of the joystick. He selected Arcade Mode and chose his character, which was named, "Haku," the fighter from the title screen. The trial began, and Gohan observed his first opponent, a rather large anthropomorphic tiger.

Gohan checked the controls and let the fight begin. The half-Saiyan got a hang of the controls fairly quickly as he won the first round in a close fight. He was applying the same approaches he had learned in actual battle to the virtual world as well, not letting his Artificial Intelligence-controlled opponent get the best of him. His advanced instincts allowed him to see exactly what the animated opponent was going to do and quickly press the right buttons to counteract it. In a competitive state of mind, his senses were all heightened, allowing greater efficiency. He won the second round without taking any damage whatsoever. Gohan won his next few battles in similar fashion, rampaging through the progressively tougher opponents with ease. By now, a group of gamers, young and old, had gathered around him, impressed with his performance to say the least.

After a few more handily won battles, he faced the big boss, which happened to be a giant gorilla. Gohan laughed at the irony, but then his eyes narrowed in focus. The ape had a much larger health bar than the rest of the fighters, and due to his size, hitting him in his vital spots would likely be a daunting task. However, Gohan faced the challenge head-on. He slid his tongue across his lips as he was knee-deep in concentration. After taking a few hits, thanks to the monster's large fists, Gohan got the hang of the difficult attacker and then threw his player's best attacks at him. Haku's moves were very similar to the ones that Gohan himself had specialized in; kicks, energy waves, things of that nature. He dished them all out, and was eventually able to topple the beast once and for all. The kids all roared in approval for Gohan. The high score screen showed up, and Gohan smirked when he saw how his score dwarfed the other records. He entered his name as "GHN" and return to the title screen.

"Oh man, I wanna play against this guy!"

"Me, first!"

"No need to argue, I'll take you all on!" Gohan said, with challenge booming in his voice.

Videl watched it all go down with a smile on her face. "Even in video games he's always competitive. Figures." She let him have his fun, as the movie didn't start for another half-an-hour, anyway.

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Gohan had blown through all of the challengers that wanted to face him with ease. He walked away from the booth, arms triumphantly folded over his chest, a confident smirk etched on his face. "I'm assuming you saw that? Yeah, you can't mess with me in video games, either." Gohan snickered to Videl.<p>

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure, whatever. Let's go."

Videl held Gohan's hand (which he still hadn't adjusted to yet) and walked to the properly numbered theater. They found seats high up in the back and waited for the previews to end. Finally, after the opening credits, the movie began. As it went on, Gohan had to admit that it was entertaining. The action was suitably over the top and filled with a decent amount of explosions, and he loved the occasional snappy exchange between the ragtag group of heroes. Videl seemed to be pretty enthralled by the action as well, cheering on the good guys when the fight scenes went their way.

The good guys finally took down the evil organization and the credits rolled. The couple got up and left the theater, satisfied with the move they'd just seen. "So, what now?" Gohan asked.

"I thought we'd oughta go to a restaurant." Videl replied. Gohan groaned in response, and Videl glared at him. "Oh, hush! It won't kill you!"

"If you insist." Gohan grumbled.

The two walked around the city in the night sky, searching for a good enough restaurant. Videl finally found one that caught her eye and dragged Gohan in there with her. Videl talked to a waitress and got a table set up, and then the two took a seat. Gohan shuffled through the menu, weighing in all of the different meals that were listed. He finally decided he would just order a shit ton of them and put the menu down. The wild haired one watched Videl as she sorted through the menu herself. Getting a chance to look at her so closely, Gohan realized how pretty Videl was again. No, not pretty, beautiful. Yeah, that was the right word. Sure, she annoyed him at times, but their exchanges were fun; he was glad to have her with him in his life. Videl noticed Gohan looking at her and raised her head, a smile forming on her face. Gohan's cheeks reddened when he saw she noticed him and she giggled.

"Gohan, you don't have to be so nervous around me all the time." She said playfully.

Gohan's brows furrowed. "I'm _not_ nervous, Videl." Gohan pouted.

"So what do you call that blushing you always do whenever we get close, huh?" She asked with a smirk.

Gohan let out a loud huff. "Bah! Whatever."

"That really is your catchphrase, Gohan! I swear, if I had a dollar for every time you said that, I'd be even richer!" Videl joked.

Gohan was about to say that very word again but stopped himself lest he'd be proving her right. He simply crossed his arms over his chest and looked off to the side with his usual perpetual frown. Videl laughed. She thought he was so cute when he got flustered and pouted like a little kid. The waiter finally walked over the two and asked them for their orders. Videl, and the waiter's, jaws sunk to the floor as Gohan began stating his rather extensive order, not even caring how long it'd take for it to be prepared. The waiter left, utterly shocked by how much one boy had ordered to eat.

"Jeez, Gohan, how do you eat so much? Your stomach's like a bottomless pit!" Videl said in amazement.

"Yeah, that's what my mom always says." Gohan replied.

"But hey, I'm not complaining. As long as you stay all muscular and sexy, you can eat whatever you want." Videl said.

Gohan's lips curled in agitation. "How many times do I have to say that I don't like being called a lewd word like '_sexy_,' Videl?" Gohan sneered.

"Don't be such a prude! You should embrace your _sexiness_, Gohan! After all, that shirt sure does show you off well." Videl remarked.

Gohan growled but he did like hearing those words from _her_. "Pfft. This shirt is still ugly as hell."

Videl laughed at Gohan, causing him to frown. "And what's so funny, huh?" He asked.

"You're trying so hard not to say 'whatever!'" Videl said through a laugh. Gohan shot her a patented Vegeta Death Glare™ but that didn't cease her laughter at all. In fact, she laughed even harder at how much he was trying to look all big and bad. Gohan instead took to drinking the soda that was just brought to the table.

Finally, after a few more minutes, the waiter started bringing some of the food the two ordered. Gohan tore through his meal, while Videl ate hers as well, all the while the two continued their flirty banter. They didn't talk about much, but it didn't matter to them.

Gohan was wiping his mouth with a napkin, just finishing his last plate, when he and Videl noticed something causing a commotion. Two guys in ski masks had busted in the restaurant. They aimed their guns around to the scared civilians.

"Nobody move! This is a hostage situation! We want all of the money in the restaurant!" One of them ordered gruffly.

Several of the waiters hid behind tables while the customers cowered in fear. Well, except for two particularly strong ones. Gohan and Videl both sighed in boredom and annoyance. They slowly got up from their chairs and walked up to the two criminals, catching the eye of everyone in the restaurant.

One of them pointed their gun right at Videl's head. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Videl rolled her eyes. "Just put the weapons down, idiots." Videl said, almost sounding bored.

"Hey, isn't that the daughter of Mr. Satan?" One of the customers asked.

"Holy crap, it really is!"

That didn't deter the two robbers. They were about to fire, but the guns were suddenly swiped from their grip. They looked around and saw Gohan nonchalantly tossing the guns around in his hand. He turned to Videl. "Let's make this quick."

She nodded and they both beat the holy hell out of the criminals, eventually booting them out of the restaurant to the cheers of everybody eating. The manager stormed over to the crime fighting duo.

"Man, that was great! You don't even have to worry about paying; it's on the house!" He said graciously.

"Thanks!" Videl said. She and Gohan left the restaurant.

"It would be on _our_ date where a bunch of criminals decide to have fun." Videl complained.

Gohan grunted in response. "At least it gives us an excuse to kick someone's ass."

"You said it."

* * *

><p>The black haired pair of teenagers walked back to Capsule Corp. Gohan slid down the card he was given by Bulma to open the door and walked down the doorway and to the lobby…where he and Videl saw something going on the staircase that was absolutely horrifying.<p>

"Oh, SON OF A BITCH!" Gohan shouted in rage. Videl covered her eyes.

Right across from Gohan, were a naked Vegeta and Bulma sitting on the steps. Well, only Vegeta was sitting on them, seeing as how Bulma was straddling on top of him. Bulma's eyes fluttered in embarrassment as she pulled herself off of Vegeta and made a rather pathetic attempt to cover herself up while Vegeta was conflicted over whether he wanted to scream in anger or laugh at the two embarrassed teens. He instead went with the rational approach. The prince closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"I should've seen this coming…"

The two oversexed adults ran upstairs as fast as possible while Gohan stared at the staircase blankly.

"Is it okay to look now?" Videl asked warily. Gohan grunted. "Wow, you really weren't lying about those two."

"Congratulations, Videl; you have officially been initiated into the Capsule Corporation compound." Gohan deadpanned. Videl nodded slowly. "I would've walked upstairs, but I don't even want to step on there right now."

"Yeah…I'd rather not. Let's just go to the couch." Videl said.

Gohan nodded and the two stepped inside the living room and sat next to each other on the couch across from the TV. Gohan raised a curious eyebrow when he heard Videl's giggling. "What do you find so funny, Videl? That was disgusting what just happened."

"No, it's not that." Videl replied.

"Then what?" Gohan asked, slightly agitated.

"It's you, Gohan; how you're always so nervous around me even though you're usually so composed and badass." Videl remarked, getting a groan from Gohan in response. "You're still shy around girls, aren't you?"

Gohan swallowed in his throat a little, confirming her statements as he got more nervous. "Well…"

The demi-Saiyan's heart started pounding when he saw Videl inch closer to him on the couch. He was frozen stiff when he felt her hands grab onto both sides of his face. Videl moved closer, until her nose was practically touching his. "Just relax…" She whispered breathlessly. Gohan looked at her, and was memorized when saw her half-lidded eyes. They were so beautiful…so seductive. Gohan felt what was left of his resolve crumple as he leaned forward and kissed her. Videl sighed into the kiss, and then lightly pushed him back so he was laying down on the couch with her on top of him. Their kiss continued for a few seconds until Videl parted her lips from his. She looked Gohan right in the eyes and laughed.

"There, now was that so bad?"

"Whatever."


	14. Get Over It

_There were hundreds of aliens sitting around, going about their daily tasks. They were scum, the lot of them, but that didn't matter to them at all. It wasn't like anybody would be able to interfere with their lives. Two guys were sitting on a rock, drinking a beer, laughing as they discussed something from the previous day. It seemed like today would just be a typical one on their planet…_

…_that is, until a figure surrounded by a brilliant gold aura and sparks of electricity dropped in from the sky. Several of the aliens got up, directing tense glances at the newcomer. He laughed sinisterly at their fear,_

"_Guess you all didn't see this coming?" He said mockingly._

"_Who are you?" One of them shouted._

"_They call me Son Gohan; but you all will just know me as the grim reaper." He said with a dark grin._

_Many of the men ran at him and leapt forward in an attempt to bum rush him. However, Gohan easily leapt into the air to avoid the attack and fired a bright, yellow Ki blast at the aliens, which either severely burned or completely vaporized them. Gohan descended the ground and looked around studiously, counting in his head all of the survivors. He pulled both of his arms back and began firing hundreds of Ki blasts at the remaining aliens, making sure to thoroughly take them out. He hit them with deadly accuracy, all the while cackling maniacally at their despair. The screams of death and fear were like music to his ears. He fired the attacks more rapidly, not even caring about the decreasing numbers of his targets. This was simply too enjoyable._

_However, his fun was cut off when he felt a hand grip its way onto his wrist. Gohan hissed in annoyance and turned to whoever this hand belonged to. He did a double take when he saw who it was: standing before him was his father, Goku, and he didn't seem too happy from the looks of it. His face was a mixture of anger and sadness._

"_Gohan, what are you doing?" He asked in horror._

_Gohan snorted in disgust at his perpetually soft-hearted father. "What does it look like? I'm cleaning this planet up!"_

"_Why, Gohan? They did nothing to you! They're so much weaker than you, son!" Goku exclaimed, trying to make sense of his son's actions._

_Gohan laughed grimly. His father was always so pacifistic, constantly preaching about how bad it is to kill; that silly mantra had come back to bite him so many times. Gohan almost felt ashamed in himself for believing in it for so many years. "You're such a fool, father; a disgrace to the Saiyans!"_

"_Wha-"_

_Before Goku could even get the whole word out of his mouth, he was left doubled over from the sharp pain of a fist being driven into his stomach. The elder Saiyan fell to his knees, coughing up fresh blood in a pained frenzy. Gohan's grin widened; seeing the aliens die one by one was one thing, but seeing his father reeling in pain like this? It was absolutely delightful! It was something he wanted to do for the last three years._

_Gohan walked closer to his father and grabbed him by the jaw, lifting his head up so that his onyx eyes were looking straight into his piercing teal ones. "You're so pathetic, father." He sneered. Goku let out a pained cough before Gohan forcefully brought him up to his feet. Violently, Gohan kicked his father in the ribs._

"_C'mon, dad! You're supposed to be way stronger than this!" Gohan taunted. He punched Goku squarely in his nose, taking great pleasure in the sound of the bones at the base of it breaking._

_Gohan let out another laugh until his face became very serious. Goku opened up an eye to look at him and gasped when he saw the evil, almost Satanic look in his own son's eyes. Before he had a chance to take any action, he was rocked by a furious shower of blows, packed with the fury of the most powerful, rage driven being in the entire universe. It took all he could just to breathe as he had to endure the assault raining down on him. Goku's blood began spilling onto Gohan's arm, and even to his chest, but it didn't deter him at all. No, in fact, it motivated him – he started firing the punches and kicks with even more speed and power, smiling joyously as he heard the bones in Goku's body cracking from the sheer force of his attacks. He hadn't even hit Cell as hard as he was hitting Goku now. Finally, Gohan hit him with one last barbaric punch to the jaw until Goku collapsed to the floor in a broken heap. He forced one eye to open as he looked at his son._

_Gohan looked at his father studiously, mentally applauding himself for the work he had done. He raised his palm, and gathered an amount of Ki to it that was capable of blowing this entire planet up._

_Goku stared right into the bright light that held his fate and swallowed. "W-why, son?" he choked out._

"_You made me how I am, _daddy_. And now it's time for you to reap what you've sewn." Gohan said, his tone ice cold._

_Goku reached out a hand with all of the strength he had left. "G-Gohan, please-!"_

_Gohan smirked sadistically. "Sorry, but I'm afraid you're way past the bargaining stage. See ya!"_

_He fired._

* * *

><p>Gohan let out a pained scream and sat straight up in his bed, drenched in sweat. The half-Saiyan was trembling from the thought of that horrible dream he had just woken up from. His heart was racing as he felt disgusted with himself for even dreaming something like that. Yes, it was true that he resented his father very much for leaving him and being the catalyst for everything that had changed about him; but <em>that<em>? What he had done to him in his dream? How much he _enjoyed_ it? It made him sick to his stomach how his brain could even process such images.

Dreams are supposed to reflect one's deepest desires, right? _No…NO!_ Gohan vehemently denied it in his thoughts. He would _never_ do something like that to his father, regardless of emotional pain. And yet, in his disdain caused by the dream, the fact that he even formulated it in the first place, the anguish once again circled over to him anyway. _As usual_. Taking a deep breath, Gohan sat down at the edge of his bed and looked at the digital clock on the dresser besides him. It read 4:36 AM. He had barely gotten even a few of hours of sleep, and he still had a whole _four _until he'd leave for school. However, he didn't want to go back to sleep; he didn't want to have that awful dream again. Gohan massaged his temple as he tried to think of something to occupy himself with.

He decided to train in the gravity room to take the edge off. Gohan sighed and left his room, walking down the hall to his destination. He entered in the password and the door opened right up. With a flick of a switch, the bright lights flashed on, straining Gohan's tired eyes. He did some stretches first before turning the gravity up. Gohan pressed the button on his watch to switch to his purple Gi. He decided 500 Gs was a good enough level. Gohan took a deep breath as he felt the pressure in the room increase and the increased weight hit him. His muscles finally relaxed, and that was all the sensation Gohan needed before powering up to Super Saiyan.

Gohan hopped into the air and let out random punches and kicks, aimed at nothing in particular but released with enough fury to make an observer think he were fighting an invisible enemy. With each thrust of his fist, which each swing of his leg, the half-Saiyan released his anger and frustration. He wished he would've gotten training bots, but this would do for now. Gohan was still bitter from his spar with Vegeta two days earlier, so he pictured himself fighting again, even jumping back and to the side while raising defensive arms as if the flame haired prince was really there.

Gohan was really working up a sweat while training, which was exactly what he needed. He was throwing his punches more feverishly, relishing in the sensation he got from engaging in some sort of physical activity. His joys were interrupted when he heard the door swing open.

"About time you showed some initiative, brat." A gruff voice said from behind him.

Gohan turned around to see Vegeta walking towards him, wearing his standard training shorts. Except this wasn't just an image he was projecting in his mind. Gohan wiped some sweat from his forehead and eyed Vegeta curiously. "What's got you up at this time?"

"Since I've got a _job_ now," Vegeta said with a sneer of contempt over his new occupation, "I can't start my morning training session at my usual time, so I pushed it back a little bit." Gohan nodded. Vegeta raised an eyebrow at the half-Saiyan. "The better question is what are _you_ doing here so early?"

Gohan frowned. "I had a bad dream." Gohan stared down at the floor and clenched his teeth as the image of him killing his father came back to his head again.

Vegeta rolled his eyes. "Kid, if you're going to start angsting again, then spare me the annoyance and get the hell out of here." He ordered harshly.

"S-shut up, Vegeta!" Gohan yelled haughtily.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Do not speak to me in that tone, brat, or else I'll remind you of your place." He warned, his voice deceptively calm.

"You don't understand, Vegeta…in that dream…I killed my father!" Gohan grit out.

Vegeta's head tilted back, surprised at what he was just told. "Have you been invading my thoughts, brat?" He said light-heartedly.

"But why would I have a dream like that?" Gohan asked in anguish, but not particularly to Vegeta.

"I'd assume it's because you seem to hate him as much as I do." Vegeta said matter-of-factly.

Gohan glared at Vegeta. "No, I don't!" He grumbled.

"Well then why the hell are you having dreams about killing him?" Vegeta asked irritably, not really in the mood of dealing with the half-breed's shit at the moment.

"Don't you think I wouldn't be so confused if I knew why, Vegeta?" Gohan sneered.

"No, I guess not, and I don't care if you find out. Now bring your pity party elsewhere or I'll force you out." Vegeta said gruffly.

Gohan didn't even seem to realize Vegeta's words of warning as he continued on. "I guess, it's just all of this anger…" Gohan mused, his eyes darkening and his brows furrowing in agitation. "That bastard just left; probably because he thought I was a failure…"

Vegeta sighed irritably. "Kakarot was an idiot, Gohan." Vegeta began, "And that is precisely why I don't think he views you in that way. That clown was too dense to even think of anybody negatively." Vegeta said, snorting in disgust over defending the third class dog, however backhanded it may have been. "He let Frieza live even after he killed me and baldy right in front of him; do you _really_ think that if he dropped in here, right now, that he would berate you?"

"That still doesn't change the fact that he left me and my mother, and a son he'll never even see!" Gohan shouted back, his tone becoming sharper. His cheeks were reddened in anger.

"So what?"

"'So what?' What the hell do you know, Vegeta?" Gohan indignantly snarled.

The half-Saiyan didn't even time to dodge the punch that Vegeta sent to his jaw. He fell to the floor and glared daggers at the prince while rubbing at his chin. When he looked at Vegeta's eyes, he could see irritation and anger radiating from them.

"Listen clearly, you filthy half-breed!" Vegeta said in a barely restrained growl. "Do not even for a fucking _second_ question how much I know about your dilemma. Do you know what my father did, boy? He handed me over to the tyrant that spat on our race like a goddamned coward! Believe me, I _know_, brat!"

Gohan's face softened up. "S-sorry Vegeta, I didn't know…" He said in shame. "How did you deal with it?"

"By not bitching and moaning about it every damn chance I got." He said bluntly. "And I didn't really have much choice in the matter, either." He added bitterly, scowling at the memories of his servitude under that damned lizard, Frieza.

"But it's hard-"

"So fucking what?" Vegeta snapped. "He's gone, and by his own choice, brat! Deal with it!"

Enraged at being reminded of such, Gohan shot back up and dashed at Vegeta, trying to punch him. However, Vegeta shifted to the side and knocked him right back down with a swipe of his arm. He then slammed his foot on Gohan's back and roughly squeezed his tail, bringing pained and angered screams from the half-breed. The pain caused his aura to fade and he powered back down from his Super Saiyan state. Vegeta winced for a second, realizing how much he mirrored Frieza in this position, as he had done this countless times as part of his sick and twisted games, but he nonetheless continued.

"Listen, brat! No matter how much you scream and whine about it, and lament in your own self-hatred, Kakarot is _never coming back_, understand? So you fucked up and made a mistake that cost him his life and let him off his leash; big deal! He's a moron, and it's high time you stopped dwelling on it!" Vegeta shouted, trying to make sure his speech was heard loud and clear. "Use the anger you've felt to become a better fighter, so you never do something so stupid again! You are a Saiyan warrior, now more than ever! So for the umpteenth time, cease your goddamned tears!"

Vegeta released his grip on Gohan's tail, but kept his foot on his back. "Look," He began, his voice calmer now, "The anger will probably never go away, believe me. I still have nightmares about my past nearly _every day,_ brat. I'm definitely not telling you to flip and suddenly start thinking positively about Kakarot again. Most of the changes you've gone through as a result of your anger are likely for good, but if you keep thinking about it every second of every day, you'll go insane. You actually have people around you who give a shit, which I didn't have at your age; let them help you."

_Just like Bulma has done for me_, He silently added. Vegeta shrugged. It felt so odd of him to be doing something like this, giving _fatherly_ advice to the son of his sworn rival. _That damn woman has made me so soft_. Vegeta finally released his foot from the back of Gohan, who sighed in relief.

Gohan managed to slowly roll over so he was on his back and sat up. "Thank y-"

"Goddammit, don't even say it, brat!" Vegeta said in agitation. "I've already done way too fucking much and I don't want to be castrated even further."

Gohan grunted as he delicately rose back on his feet and scratched his aching back. He smirked. "Well, we still have a few hours until school starts and I'm still pissed about Saturday, so…"

Vegeta smirked evenly. "If you insist on getting beaten again…"

The two powered up to Super Saiyan and dashed at each other.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, at school, Gohan went to his locker. His face had a few cuts and bruises on it, most of them covered with bandages. He had a darkening black eye and a slightly swollen bottom lip as well. Videl approached him and cringed when she saw the condition he was in.<p>

"Gohan, what the hell happened to you?" She asked.

"Vegeta and I had another one of our bloody-wars-disguised-as-spars earlier. We didn't have any Senzu beans so I went with the old bandages look." Gohan said flatly.

"Well, okay. As long as it was nothing too bad." Videl said. The two walked to class, where of course Erasa had to start gossiping.

"So Videl tells me you two had a hot date over the weekend." She teased.

Gohan growled while Videl rolled her eyes. "I never said 'hot,' Erasa."

"Suuure."

Gohan grunted and took a seat, once again debating whether or not he should just snap Erasa's neck to get it over with. He was still mulling over what Vegeta had told him earlier. He was right – his father made his choice, and he wasn't coming back, no matter how much he wanted otherwise. Even though he knew that his dad wasn't trying to hurt him when he chose to stay dead, he was too dense to realize how much he _did_. And for that, Gohan could never forgive him. However, dwelling on it all of the time already made him change enough as it was – if he kept doing it, things would get even worse. He had already pretended once already that he was shutting the door on thinking about his father, but that was something he irrationally did out of anger and he wound up trying to do as much as he could to try and hurt his father to show it, even though that was impossible. Now it was time to start _seriously_ doing that, difficult though it may be.

Later, at lunch, Videl followed him on the roof. "Gohan, you never did explain to me. What's the deal with this whole 'Saiyan' thing? Your dad is obviously one, too, so how did he get here before even Vegeta did?"

Gohan took a deep breath. He knew this question would come eventually, and he was already prepared. "Alright, for this to even make the slightest bit of sense, I have to start from the beginning. There was a planet, called Planet Vegeta – yes, it's named after our flame-haired P.E. coach with the Napoleon complex, who came from the royal lineage. On that planet lived the Saiyans; primal, violent fighters who thrived on strength and battle. This crazy lizard tyrant named Frieza took the planet over and added it to his galactic empire, and made the Saiyans part of his army. My father was sent here as a baby to exterminate all life to make it suitable for sale."

Videl nodded. If she was surprised, she wasn't showing it. Gohan gave her a glance before continuing. "Well, my dad hit his head as a baby and forgot the whole mission, and his violent nature went away too. But his love of battle never faded. From there, its history – he got some Dragon Balls, kicked ass in tournaments, beat giant criminal organizations, killed green demons bent on world domination, and got with some crazy stalker chick who he promised to marry when he was a little kid because he thought marriage was a meal. And now, here I am today."

"Wait, what are Dragon Balls?" Videl asked curiously.

"You've never heard of the legend? Basically, they're seven magic balls that, when you collect them, summon a big dragon that's capable of granting any wish you desire that's within its power. It's pretty much what got everyone I know together in the first place. It all started when Bulma ran into my dad in the forest when he was twelve. She was looking for the Dragon Balls for her own wish and my dad just happened to have the four star ball, which he kept as a memento of his surrogate grandfather, who I'm named after, by the way. We've all got into quite a few adventures over the years because of those balls, and yes, they _do_ grant wishes. It's why Yamcha's still around even though he was clearly killed in an explosion in the fight with the Saiyans, and why my father and Krillin can safely say that they've experienced death _twice_." Gohan explained, speaking carefully so that Videl could get everything he was saying.

Videl nodded and then took a deep breath. It sure was freaky knowing all of this stuff about Gohan's past and his friends, and how there are these things that can grant wishes, even bringing people back from the dead.

"Okay…wow, that's a lot of information." She said in exasperation. "So uh…what happened to the rest of the Saiyans anyway? I mean, wouldn't they come looking for your dad seeing as how he failed his mission and never came back?"

Gohan lightly laughed. "Funny story, actually; in fact, it's pretty much the reason why I was fighting as a kid while you were watching cartoons and filling coloring books in pre-school. The Saiyans were all killed by Frieza because he was afraid of their potential. But he pretty much let Vegeta escape on purpose and a couple of other Saiyans slipped under the rug, too, since they were out on missions. One of them was my uncle, Raditz, and he came here looking for my father when I was four.

"Long story short, I got kidnapped, he pissed off Piccolo, too, who teamed up my with my father even though it disgusted him, they got their asses kicked, and somewhere in between all of that I got pissed and injured Raditz with strength I didn't even know I had. Piccolo eventually killed Raditz, but ended up killing my dad, too. That was the first time he died. But then Piccolo blabbed about the Dragon Balls to Raditz while his little communication device picked it up. And that's where Vegeta fits into this whole thing.

"He decided to come here with his comrade to get the balls, and since Piccolo wasn't going to let other people interfere with his world domination plans, I got kidnapped for the second time in one day. Piccolo trained me for 6 months, and trust me, it was hell. To make another long story short, the Saiyans arrive, they're way too strong for us, almost everybody gets killed, my dad arrives, kicks ass, lets Vegeta escape, blah, blah, blah, we got to the planet that the Dragon Balls originated from to wish everyone back because Piccolo is the evil half of Kami, the guy who created the Dragon Balls, and since he was killed Kami died too, so they all disappeared. Am I going to fast? Eh, who cares. Anyway, we went to Namek to use their balls since that's the planet Piccolo came from, and blah, blah, blah, Vegeta followed us, crazy lizard tyrant was there, dad goes Super Saiyan and kicks his ass, somewhere in between Vegeta's forced to team up with us, and-"

"Wait! Slow down for a second!" Videl interrupted, completely dumbfounded by everything she was being told. "What's a Super Saiyan?"

Gohan raised his Ki and his hair switched to gold and his eyes became teal. "This."

"Oh…I see." Videl replied.

Gohan powered back down and resumed his story. "So uh…yeah. I already told you the whole business with Cell, and I don't feel like repeating it again. Oh yeah, and did I mention that the future version of Trunks, Vegeta's son, came here and warned us about these crazy killer Androids? That's why we were training for three years in the first place. Cell was one of them, but he came from another future. No, it doesn't make a goddamn bit of sense to me, either."

Videl shook her head. "Okay, now I know everything. Some crazy life you have, Gohan. So these Saiyans…they're pretty much made for fighting. But you said they were very violent, too. Since you're only half-Saiyan, you're not as bad as they are, right?"

"I wish I could say that, but no. Well, I used to not be, but being angry a lot's had some pretty weird side-effects; mainly, letting my violent Saiyan side become my dominant personality. It's why I like fighting and violence a helluva lot more than I used to. And why I'm a bit of an asshole, as you like to point out." Gohan said bluntly, not bothering to sugar coat things.

"Jeez, is fighting pretty much all you think about nowadays, Gohan? That can't be healthy." Videl commented.

Gohan smirked. "Well, don't get mad at me, Videl," He formed an obnoxiously cheeky grin, "I'm just '_Saiyan.'_"

Videl cringed at that puntastic phrase. Her eyes narrowed in warning. "Gohan, if you _ever_ make a joke that lame again, I'm breaking up with you."

"Quit whining, Videl." Gohan said through a chuckle. "There, now you know everything about your weird, abnormally strong boyfriend."

"My abnormally strong, _sexy_, boyfriend." Videl added.

Gohan scowled at her. "You mean, '_handsome_._'_"

Videl rolled her eyes. "Whatever, let's just go."

"Fine." Gohan replied. The two turned around and walked to the door and went down the steps to the cafeteria. Without even realizing it, Gohan possessively wrapped his tail around Videl's waist. Videl raised an eyebrow to the strange gesture but figured it was some sort of weird Saiyan thing. The rest of the day went by normally.

In P.E., Vegeta had an announcement for the students. "Alright, brats, I hate this as much as you probably will. Coach Wakamoto has left the school and decided to pursue his old basketball dreams, and the board has decided to make _me _your full time physical education coach. I would've declined, but my damn wife threatened to turn off my gravity chamber permanently."

Vegeta stared at the students, waiting for a reaction. To his surprise, they erupted into cheers.

"Yeah, Coach Vegeta's staying!"

"Awesome, I didn't want him to leave!"

Vegeta's eyes widened. "What? Stupid humans, this is supposed to be a _bad_ thing! You'll be undergoing my tortuous exercise for an entire school year now!"

Gohan laughed. "I think the class likes you now."

Vegeta scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Dumbass kids…"

The period went on as usual – kids did their drills, Vegeta cracked a few jokes in Gohan's direction, blah, blah, blah. Videl actually ignored her drills and decided to practice flying instead, which Vegeta didn't object to, either. Gohan kept a watchful eye on her, noting she was having an easier time flying freely at lower levels.

* * *

><p>After school, Videl walked up to Gohan. "Okay, so today, we'll continue my little training sessions."<p>

Gohan sighed. "If you insist." They walked out of the school, and Gohan was about to pick Videl up, but she smacked his hand away.

"I'll fly on my own." Videl replied, waving a dismissive hand.

"Oh, _this_ should be fun to watch." Gohan said with a snicker.

Videl flipped him the bird and levitated into the air. It was a several feet off the ground, and she was proud of her progress. "And you _better_ fly at my pace, bucko. No leaving me behind!"

"Whatever."

Videl flew off, with Gohan flying several feet above her to egg her on. They eventually made it West City, and Videl started feeling fatigued. Gohan took notice and flew back down, which Videl took as her cue to do so as well. The pigtailed crime fighter let out a few gasps for air while Gohan snorted in amusement.

"I guess it's still a little too early for you to be flying from city to city." Gohan taunted.

"S-shut up, Gohan!" She replied through a pant. "Let's walk!"

Gohan nodded and they traveled the rest of the way to Capsule Corp by foot. Gohan opened the door and walked down the hallway and to the living room, where Bulma was sitting down on the couch with dozens of magazines laid out on the coffee table and a an ashtray right beside her.

"Hey, kids!" Bulma said.

Videl awkwardly cleared her throat, seeing as how this was the first time she saw her _clothed_ since before she and Gohan's date on Saturday. Bulma saw the look on her face and laughed nervously.

"So, uh…what brings you here, Videl?" She asked.

"She's just here to train with me." Gohan cut in, sensing how awkward things were getting. "Is there a place where we can get stuff done?"

"Oh, you can use the gravity room. Vegeta's at a faculty meaning." Bulma said, trying to hold back her laughter.

Gohan nodded and he and Videl walked upstairs to the chamber. Gohan entered in the password and opened the door, where to his surprise, Goten and Trunks were playing around in. Trunks had Goten down in a headlock, but quickly broke it when he saw Gohan step in. Both toddlers stood straight.

"GOHAN!" The both said in unison.

"What are you two doing here?" Gohan asked.

"Goten said he got tougher and I can't beat 'im up anymore so I wanted t'see if he was lyin' or not!" Trunks replied. "And he was, too!"

"You cheated!" Goten whimpered.

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did not!

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"I KNEW IT!" Goten exclaimed.

"Hey! _You_ cheated this time!" Trunks pouted.

They both turned to face each other and let out angry growls, but before they had a chance to tear each other apart, Gohan picked the two toddlers up, holding one in each hand.

"Well, that's not important. Videl and I need to use the chamber for now." Gohan said. He turned around and dropped the two off into the hallway. "You two can continue your fight out here."

They both looked at each other with violent intent, but without caring to see the conclusion, Gohan slammed the door shut.

"Wow, those little tykes sure are a handful." Videl said.

"Believe me, you don't know the half of it." Gohan replied.

Videl walked over to the control panel. "So, what's all of this crap supposed to do?" She asked, looking at the various buttons and the black screen.

"It's an artificial gravity simulator. Just type in a number and the gravity in this room will increase to that level." Gohan explained.

Videl's eyes widened and she glanced at Gohan. "What level do you and Vegeta usually have it at?"

"Oh, about 500 times normal gravity." Gohan said, as if it were some mundane fact.

Videl nearly fell to the floor upon hearing that. "F-five…HUNDRED times normal gravity?" She repeated, not believing what she was told.

"Wow…that's insane…" Videl muttered.

"So, what do you want to do? We can't really fly around much in here." Gohan said.

"I want to spar with you." Videl said, her eyes filled with determination.

Gohan resisted the temptation to laugh. "You're joking, right?"

"No, Gohan." Videl said sternly. "I want to spar."

Gohan's face became very serious. "Videl, really. I seriously don't think you should spar with me."

"Stuff it, Gohan. Yesterday I went shopping around and found DVDs of the 21st, 22nd, and parts of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournaments. I know your dad's a fighting alien and everything but…even those humans were incredible too. Even if I can't get to _your_ level, I want to at least do stuff like they did in the footage." Videl explained, her fists clenched at her sides.

Gohan sighed. "Well, there's probably going to be no use in arguing with you. Fine, Videl, I'll do it. But don't start complaining when things don't go your way."

Gohan crouched into a fighting stance, not even bothering to change out of his street clothes. Although he wasn't intending it to come off that way and it honestly never crossed his mind that he didn't switch, it was slightly insulting to Videl. That made her all the more determined to fight. Videl went into her own stance and immediately dashed at him. She threw all of the punches in her arsenal, including ones that Vegeta had instilled in her and all of the students in P.E. Gohan was dodging them with no effort whatsoever, but that didn't matter to Videl. She tried to kick him straight in the side of the head, but he blocked it with his forearm with ease. She swung her leg back down and tried to slam an elbow into his face, but Gohan phased out and reappeared at her side. Videl shifted to his direction and tried to kick him in the ribs, but Gohan grabbed her by the foot and roughly swung her to the side.

Videl let out a frustrated growl and aimed a kick right at his jaw, but Gohan bent down backwards to get out of the way. As soon as Gohan got back into a standing position, Videl flipped over his head and tried to punch him from behind. However, Gohan grabbed her arm without even so much as looking over his shoulder. The half-Saiyan spun her around so she was facing him again. Videl stared right into his eyes with a piercing gaze, although Gohan wasn't fazed at all.

"This is going nowhere, Gohan." Videl relented.

"Gee, you noticed?" Gohan deadpanned.

"I'm serious, Gohan. I'm not going to get anywhere if you go easy on me." Videl said.

If Gohan was drinking something, it would've spewed right out of his mouth. "Are you serious, Videl?" Gohan asked in disbelief. "You can't even beat me up when I'm putting less than 1% of my effort in! What makes you think you can hit me when I'm actually _trying_?"

Videl clenched her fists tightly. "I want _you_ to go on the offensive this time!" She challenged.

"Videl, I can't." He said slowly. "You could d-"

"So?" She interrupted. "If I die, I wouldn't be worth anything in the first place.

Gohan couldn't help but laugh. Videl frowned. "What's so funny?"

"It's just, you sound exactly like I did when I was training with my father before I transformed into a Super Saiyan for the first time. I said those exact words – 'If I die, I wouldn't be worth anything.' Alright, Videl, fine. You asked for it, and you've got it!" Gohan exclaimed.

Videl smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way!" Videl crouched down and lunged…

* * *

><p>About 15 minutes later, Gohan was leaning against the control panel. The only sign of damage was a bite mark on his neck. He had his arms folded, and he was looking down at the other figure in the room with a smirk. "I guess that oughta do for the first day."<p>

Sitting on the floor, with her shirt torn up, her face covered in bruises, and her right eye badly swollen shut, Videl looked up at Gohan and laughed. "Y-yeah, I guess so."

"Next time, though, I'm going to actually teach you some basics. It's definitely a lot better than beating the shit out of you." Gohan remarked. "Alright, let's get you to the infirmary; Bulma will fix you up."

Gohan stuck his hand out to help Videl up and she took it without complaint. Gohan pulled her up to her feet and held her closely as they walked out of the gravity room. Gohan opened the door, where Vegeta was waiting. He had an irritated scowl on his face; that is, until he saw Videl. His eyes popped open in shock.

"Holy shit." He said with uncharacteristic surprise.

The couple laughed. "She insisted." Gohan said.

Vegeta shook his head. "We oughta make sure that girl isn't half-Saiyan." He said off-handedly as he walked into the gravity room.

Gohan and Videl walked down the hallway, where Bulma happened to be walking in their direction. She stopped and gasped when she saw Videl so banged up. "Whoa, Gohan, what happened to her?"

"She basically told me to beat the crap out of her." Gohan said sarcastically. Videl weakly smiled and gave a thumbs up.

Bulma shook her head and sighed. "Kids these days…" She mumbled. "Let's get her to the infirmary."

Gohan nodded and followed her lead. They both gently laid Videl down on the bed. Videl looked up at her boyfriend and smiled, her blue eyes glistening. "Thank you…Gohan."

"Hn."

"Gohan, you can get something to eat while I treat her injuries." Bulma instructed.

"Sure thing." Gohan replied before heading out the door. He laughed to himself over what had happened. For what Videl lacked in strength by his standards, she more than made up for in her determination. Maybe she could become stronger if he trained her.

Hell, maybe training her would be something to help him finally take his mind off of his father.


	15. Ball Hunt

**A/N: No, I'm not doing that "Videl is half-Saiyan" bullshit. I tossed that joke in there specifically to mess with you guys' heads because I'm an asshole like that.**

* * *

><p>Over the next few days, Gohan developed a routine during his stay at Capsule Corp – he would spar with Vegeta early in the morning (this time with the convenience of Senzu beans), go to school, and then train Videl afterwards. He usually gave her some of the same type of drills Piccolo gave him, although obviously far less brutal. He taught her things like reading an opponent's motions, even when her back is turned to them, more about Ki attacks, and things of that nature. Her progress wasn't what one could call fast, but obviously that's where patience came in to play. Afterwards they would go to Gohan's room, where Videl gave Gohan some training of her own, too – in the kissing department. Strictly for training purposes, of course. Gohan suggested that if he got past that portion of the training that Videl show him that other thing she was going to do with her mouth during that Gold Fighter encounter from a few weeks ago, but she slapped him for doing so.<p>

Or did she…?

Anyway, as he continued going about his new routines, something strange happened. He never would've guessed in a million years that it would happen, but him becoming "more Saiyan" was just the right trigger for it. He was actually starting to understand his father's reasoning for wanting to stay in Other World to get new challenges. Gohan was starting to become nigh-obsessed with fighting Vegeta; he had always jumped at the opportunity to fight with him before, but that was mainly to free himself of whatever stress he was having.

Now, however, he was starting to like it for the thrill of it. He was a Saiyan through and through, and thanks to his anger guiding his emotions for so long, that love of battle was starting to come to him. The half-Saiyan was starting to see that by combining the battle-nut tendencies of a Saiyan with an overly carefree personality, the likelihood of one leaving people for such reasons would grow. Of course, he still didn't like it one bit, but just the smallest bit of understanding was beginning to open his mind.

Later that week, on Thursday, Gohan was once again training Videl in the gravity room while Vegeta had to go to another damned faculty meeting. He was trying to improve Videl's defense, so he was firing Ki blasts at her at a controlled pace. The blasts were obviously extremely restrained, but good enough to punish Videl for a slip in focus.

"Keep up, Videl! Or are you too weak?" Gohan shouted tauntingly.

Videl glared at Gohan and began jumping at an increased pace. Gohan had the gravity turned up to 1.2Gs, which increased the weight on Videl. She was gradually getting used to it, but she still got hit by the occasional blast. The heat from the blasts left pretty decent burn marks on her shoulders, but she toughed it out; the more, the better in fact, as it would toughen her up. Gohan fired one Ki blast directly at her face, but she flipped backwards to avoid it. However, just as she was coming back down to floor, Gohan hit her with another blast that got her right on the shoulder. Videl fell down on the floor while clenching her shoulder.

"Tsk, tsk, that's 20 hits. I win." Gohan boasted.

Videl growled and wobbled back up to her feet. "I'll win one of these days, Gohan!"

"If you say so." Gohan took out a Senzu bean from his pocket and tossed it to her. She caught it and promptly ate it, and felt her body already healing up. The burn marks went away, and she felt just as good as she did going into the training. With a sly smirk on her face, Videl placed her hands on Gohan's shoulders and slid them down to his chest.

"Now, time for _your_ training session."

* * *

><p>Later that day, Videl had gone back home and Gohan came downstairs with a rare smile on his face. He sat down at the kitchen table, where Bulma raised an eyebrow at his unusual good mood.<p>

"What's got you so happy, Gohan?" Bulma asked.

"Training upgrade."

Bulma didn't care to reply. "So I see Videl's dead-set on getting stronger than her father."

"She already is," Gohan replied, getting a gasp from Bulma. "She may not be all that great, now, but she has potential."

"Looks like Yamcha may have yet another person zip past him in strength!" Bulma joked.

"Of course. The scar faced moron is nothing but a pathetic weakling." Said Vegeta from the living room. "Now where's your airheaded mother? I'm about to starve." Vegeta impatiently asked as he took a seat at the table.

"She's hanging around with her stupid, rich friends for tonight." Bulma replied. "I guess I'll cook instead."

Gohan and Vegeta both cringed. "Yeah…that's exactly why we're looking for your mom." Gohan said.

Bulma glared at the two Saiyan warriors sitting at her table. "And just _what_ is wrong with my cooking?"

Vegeta smirked. "All these years and you _still_ need for me to spell it out?"

"I'm pretty sure should a new enemy arise, we could just use your cooking to debilitate them so we could take them out." Gohan joked.

Vegeta genuinely laughed. "HA! Good one, brat! Even I didn't think of that!"

"Fine! But don't come crying to me when you two monkeys starve!" Bulma angrily growled as she stormed out of the kitchen. "And Vegeta, you won't be getting any tonight! Hell, not even a 'training upgrade'!"

Gohan covered his mouth to hold back laughter while Vegeta glared at him in confusion. "What in the hell is the woman talking about? What 'training upgrade?'"

"It's nothing…" Gohan replied.

Vegeta let out an irritated grunt before getting up so he could convince the woman to salvage him at least what he didn't realize was a "training upgrade." Gohan decided to go out and hunt some animals to get some food. After that, he called it a day and got some sleep.

* * *

><p>The next day, school went as usual, although it was rife with "training upgrade" inside jokes between Gohan and Videl. Videl insured that he'd be getting lots of vigorous practice in that department, although it'd be a while until the next "upgrade." In English class, Mr. Horikawa had an announcement.<p>

"Today, students, we will begin a new project. We all have families, and with very interesting origins," Mr. Horikawa turned to Gohan, "Some more than others. That's the theme of this project; you will go and research something important to your family and write an essay on it, and then do a presentation on it for the class. One of my requirements is for you to wear some sort of attire that's relevant to your family, be it a suit, something cultural, or things of that nature."

The class groaned, as usual, while Mr. Horikawa passed out the handouts explaining the project in greater detail. "Now, you all will be getting a good deal of time on this project, so I expect good things."

Videl turned to Gohan. "So what are you gonna do, something about the Saiyans?"

"Of course not." Gohan replied. "I barely know anything about the race as it is, and I'm sure Vegeta wouldn't care enough to explain traditions and all of that stuff."

Videl pondered what her choice would be as the class continued. Gohan thought hard about something important to his family; there was the orange gi, but considering what happened last time he did anything involving that left a bitter taste in his mouth, he opted not to. There had to be _something_ that his family held dear. Gohan cupped his chin as he frowned in thought…

Later, at the end of school, it had finally hit Gohan what he wanted to do. He even knew what outfit he would wear. Videl walked up to him.

"So, did you figure anything out for the project, yet?" Videl asked.

"Yeah." Gohan replied. "I'm going to need for you to fly to Capsule Corp. on your own while I sort some things out."

Videl nodded. "Right! Your project better be good, Gohan."

"Hn."

The two left the school, and Videl gave him a kiss on the cheek. They flew off in opposite directions. Gohan was headed off to his home in Mount. Paoz, where one of the pieces to the puzzle was lying in his room. Gohan snuck into his room through his window, and made sure to be very quiet so nobody heard him. He went in his closet and found an old crate and opened it up, finding exactly what he was looking for. He dusted it off and held it under his arm before climbing back out of the window and shutting it, then flying up to Kami's Lookout.

* * *

><p>"So you want me to recreate that outfit in your current size, right?" Piccolo asked.<p>

"Correct." Gohan replied, pointing at the outfit lying down on the tiled floor of the lookout – it was a yellow tunic with green sleeves and a symbol on the front, green pants, and a red hat. His regular outfit as a little toddler.

"Sure thing." Piccolo said. He raised a palm, and from thin air came a considerably larger version of the same outfit.

"Ah, thanks, Piccolo!" Gohan replied.

"No problem, kid."

Gohan raised a hand in salutation, grabbed both sizes of the outfit, and flew back down to the lower realm. He arrived at Capsule Corp and ran inside, where Videl was sitting on the couch at the living room. Gohan placed his outfit on the coffee table.

"What's this?" Videl asked, observing the tunic and hat.

"The outfit I'll be wearing for the presentation." Gohan replied.

"I see…" Videl said, curiously lifting up the sleeves of the tunic and playing with the fabric.

Gohan walked away and searched for Bulma's Ki. He found her in the lab, observing some blueprints. "Uh…Bulma?"

Bulma took off the goggles she was wearing and turned around to face Gohan. "What is it, kiddo?"

"Do you have the Dragon Radar?" Gohan asked.

"Yup, it should be around here somewhere." Bulma said, glancing around the lab. "What do you need it for?"

"I'm looking for the four star ball." Gohan replied.

Bulma grinned as the memories of searching for the Dragon Balls with Goku and the others came back to her. "Oh man, I hope you don't run into some big crazy organization!"

"Please, I could kick their asses easily." Gohan boasted.

Bulma giggled. "Of course you can." She turned around and dug through the mess that was her desk and eventually found the green radar in question. "Here it is!" Bulma held it up in front of Gohan.

Gohan took it and pressed the button to see if it worked. "Perfect! Thanks, Bulma."

"No problem."

Gohan ran back to the living room. "Alright, now I have the radar."

Videl raised a curious eyebrow. "Radar? What radar?"

"Dragon Radar – it's used to locate the Dragon Balls." Gohan explained.

"What do we need the Dragon Balls for?" Videl asked.

"Well, there's still one accessory to this outfit that's missing…" Gohan said, looking at the red top hat lying on the coffee table. "Yeah, one Dragon Ball in particular will complete this outfit."

"So are you gonna go search for it?" Videl asked.

Gohan nodded. "Right." He smiled down at his girlfriend. "You want to come along?"

Videl's eyes lit up with excitement. "Yeah, sure!"

"I think we'll get started tomorrow, since it's the weekend and everything." Gohan said. Gohan glanced at the Radar again. "The Dragon Radar doesn't show how many stars are on a specific Dragon Ball, so we'll probably run into a few false alarms, too."

Videl shook her head. "Oh, that doesn't matter. I'm sure it'll be fun regardless."

"Alright. Anyway…I think it's time to resume your training." Gohan said.

Videl nodded. "Right!"

Since Vegeta was using the gravity room, the two trained outside instead. Videl was practicing her punches and kicks, as well as Ki blasts, while Gohan looked on with a watchful eye. Gohan admitted that she was making progress, as the fact that she was able to fire Ki blasts was notable. Of course, since they only had a few hours after school, Gohan couldn't do all of the things he wanted to do for training, but he'd probably have to wait for the fall break that would be coming within a week. He was confident that he could mold Videl into a fighter that, at the very least, could've advanced to the finals in the 21st or 22nd Martial Arts Tournaments.

Gohan stepped in front of Videl with his arms crossed. "Try to hit me, Videl."

Videl put her rapid fire punches to a halt. "But why? I couldn't hit you in a million years."

"Of course you can't." Gohan said flatly. "That's not the point. I'm testing your awareness. The objective of this isn't to actually land a hit; just to see if you're having an easier time following where I go."

Videl tensely nodded and crouched into a fighting stance. She charged at Gohan and threw a barrage of hits, but at a much more controlled pace. She was focusing more on tracking where Gohan was rather than landing a punch. Although Gohan was still way too fast for her, she was doing a somewhat okay job of predicting where his body would move next, although every time she punched in the direction he'd be going in, he quickly jerked out of the way anyway. Although the goal wasn't to hit him, Videl started to become flustered at her inability to do so anyway. Her attacks became more rapid, and sloppy as well. Gohan noticed this and caught a fist headed for his face with his palm.

"You're getting angry again and it's ruining your concentration." Gohan said.

Videl growled and tried to punch him with her free hand, but Gohan caught that as well and swung her across the grass field. "Focus, Videl!" He commanded. Videl dusted herself off and ran at him again, sloppily thrusting her fist at his chest. Gohan jumped out of the way and kicked her right in the shoulder, sending her to the ground.

"If you allow yourself to get angry, your attacks are just going to become sloppier, and that will get you nowhere!" Gohan scolded.

Videl punched the ground in frustration. "It's just…I want to actually hit you for once!" She whimpered.

Gohan cocked his face upward and smirked. "Do it, then. I'll give you a free shot."

"But it's not the s-"

"Just do it!" Gohan snarled.

Videl stumbled back up to her feet and pulled her fist back. "Fine!"

Videl dashed at Gohan and threw a punch packed with all of her strength behind it. It hit Gohan dead-on in the cheek. His head jerked to the side, but otherwise he didn't show any sign of pain. Videl sighed in disappointment at the fact that it didn't even hurt him.

"There, happy?" Gohan snickered.

Videl lowered her hand and crossed her arms. "Only because you let me…" She pouted.

"Oh, quit whining. You have to have patience with these sorts of things." Gohan said. "Progress doesn't happen overnight."

Videl sighed and nodded. "I guess so…"

"Now, about _my_ training…"

* * *

><p>The next day, Gohan woke up earlier than he normally would on a Saturday. His hunt for the four star ball would be beginning today, and he wanted all the time he could get. He took a shower, slipped into his usual clothes, and grabbed the Dragon Radar. The half-Saiyan stood outside, waiting for Videl, who said she'd be arriving at any minute. Gohan observed the busy city until he felt a familiar Ki closing in on the compound. He looked up at the sky and saw Videl descending to the grass.<p>

"Took you long enough." Gohan muttered.

"Shut up."

Videl took out a capsule. "This should have some food in it in case we get hungry." Gohan nodded. "Well, I guess that's it. Let's get this thing started!"

The two both took off into the sky. Gohan looked at the Dragon Radar and checked the blinking red dot indicating the location of the closest Dragon Ball. He flew in the direction of the ball, with Videl trailing close behind him. As Gohan got closer to the ball, he saw a rather large mountain range appearing in his line of sight. Wherever the ball was, it'd probably be hidden in the terrain.

Gohan descended to one of the higher mountains and Videl did the same. He walked around, making sure he was following the direction of the Dragon radar. Occasionally, he'd check some of the bushes that were near to see if there was any sort of path that would bring him closer to the Dragon Balls.

Videl scoped the place out for any weird animals. This was the first time she'd ever been on an exploration like this, and it would probably take a while to get used to the surroundings. "So, is this the first time _you've_ gone on these Dragon Ball hunts, Gohan?"

"Nope." Gohan replied, keeping his eyes glued to the radar. "The last time was on another planet, and it was a little bit harder considering the fact that I was trying to avoid running into Vegeta or one of Frieza's men."

"Oh yeah, about that," Videl cut in. "From everything you've told me, Vegeta used to be a pretty evil guy. How did he ever end up on your side and settle down here on Earth?"

"He pretty much had no choice. Frieza sent these five guys who were incredibly powerful, albeit goofy, and Vegeta knew them all too well. He needed all of the help he could get, so he joined me and Krillin for the time being. Then, he still needed us to fight Frieza." Gohan explained. "After that, he stayed around here waiting for my father to come back from space so he could figure out how to become a Super Saiyan, and that's when his son from the future came to explain the whole deal about the Androids.

"Vegeta found out he'd get killed by them in the future so he started training, and used Bulma's technology at Capsule Corp. I guess staying around her for so long caused them to get close and that's how the Trunks in this time was born. And then, I guess, Vegeta decided to stay here to…be with his son…" Gohan's voice trailed off and his face tensed. If he would've thought to realize how uncomfortable the subject was about to make him, he would have just left that detail out.

Videl recognized the uneasiness in his tone, realizing bringing something like that up reminded him of his own father's absence. She figured she'd heard all she needed. "Well, it's nice to know that even the baddest of the bad can change."

Gohan grunted in response and stopped walking when he saw the edge of the land they were walking come into sight. The Dragon Radar indicated the ball was somewhere below. Gohan walked closer to the edge and looked down to see a vast forest, filled with trees, land, and animals. Gohan scoped the terrain out for any sign of the Dragon Ball. He squinted so he could see the place more clearly. With his advanced eyesight, he could make out something orange sitting on a tree branch.

"I think I found it." Gohan said.

"Where is it?" Videl asked, looking down and not being to see a damn thing besides the forest.

"It's way down there. I can see it." Gohan said.

Videl shook her head, almost speechless at how good Gohan's eyesight was. _Must be another Saiyan thing…_

"Alright, let's go down there!" Gohan shouted. He jumped off the edge of the mountain and Videl followed. As Gohan closed in on the forest, he could see the orange sphere becoming clearer. The radar was beeping more loudly, confirming his suspicions. It was a Dragon Ball, without question. Gohan reached his arm out in preparation to catch it…

…until a large pterodactyl flew in his way and appeared the scoop the Dragon Ball up in its tongue and swallow it!

Gohan came to a sudden stop and cursed when he saw the bird take the Dragon Ball. "Shit! That thing has it!"

"Did he just _eat_ the Dragon Ball?" Videl asked in disgust.

Gohan looked at the radar, which was still beeping. "I don't think he ate it, because it's still showing up on the radar. But we've got to find a way to get the ball out of that bird!"

Gohan looked up at the pterodactyl, which was flying away. He sped after it and followed its lead, waiting for it to come to a stop so he could take further action. He tried to come up with all sorts of scenarios in his mind on how to go about retrieving the ball from the clutches of the dinosaur, but he drew a blank. He couldn't think of anything that wasn't disgusting, at least. He finally saw the bird land, and he and Videl hopped down to the location where the pterodactyl was at.

"It looks like we're going to have to force the ball out…" Gohan said.

Videl grimaced at the thoughts of what they'd have to do. "Oh my."

Gohan took a deep breath before shouting, "HEY!" to get the pterodactyl's attention. As expected, it turned around and growled loudly at Gohan over being disturbed.

Gohan took a defensive step back. "We've got to find some way…"

A light bulb went off in Videl's head. "I got it! Leave it to me, Gohan!"

Gohan glanced at Videl curiously. "What idea do you have in mind?"

"Simple – hit in the gut and make it throw the ball up." Videl explained.

"I guess. Can't I do it, though?" Gohan asked.

Videl smirked. "I can't let you have all of the fun."

She stepped forward to the angry bird and crouched into a fighting position to make her challenge clear. "Bring it on!" Videl said, with a beckoning hand gesture.

The pterodactyl growled and lunged at Videl. It swung one of its large hands at Videl, but she jumped out of the way to evade it. The bird thrust its hand right at her face, but the pigtailed fighter ducked out of the way and then jumped forward, punching the bird in the face. It wasn't enough to knock it down, however. Feeling provoked, the bird let out a large shriek and flew at Videl with all of its might, looking to impale her with its beak. Videl jumped up into the air and hopped off the giant bird's beak as a launching pad and landed behind its back. Then, she kicked the bird in the spine, right between its two wings. The pterodactyl let out a pained squeal and wobbled on its feet. It turned around and looked at Videl with murderous intent. However, Videl was unfazed, and she flew straight forward and kicked the bird right in the stomach, putting all of her strength into it. The pressure from her foot pushed the bird's stomach in, causing it to let out a pained howl.

The bird stepped back and looked to be violently coughing. It started spitting things out, and both Gohan and Videl closed their eyes to spare themselves the sight of this giant dinosaur vomiting. The strained sounds coming from the bird left little to the imagination of what it was doing. Gohan and Videl kept their eyes close until they heard something hard make a thud as it hit the ground. Gohan snuck a peak, and his eyes lit up when he saw the orange ball that he was looking for.

"You did it!" Gohan exclaimed to Videl.

Videl opened her eyes and pat herself on the back when she saw Gohan running to the Dragon Ball. Gohan picked it up, but then sighed in disappointment when he saw the number of stars on it. "Damn, this is the six-star ball."

Videl frowned. "Oh well. Looks like we hurt the poor bird for nothing."

"No, _you_ hurt the bird." Gohan said with cheeky grin.

Videl's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Shut up or I'll revoke your little 'training upgrade.'"

Gohan's throat tightened and he complied.

"So, where's the next Dragon Ball?" Videl asked.

Gohan checked the radar. "The closest one to here is still pretty far away. I guess we'll have to suck it up. Let's go."

Gohan put the six-star ball in his pocket. The two flew away from the forest and in the direction of the next ball. The closer they got, the colder the air became. Videl sneezed in reaction to the rush of cool air, while Gohan let out a few coughs.

"It looks like the ball is in an icecap." Gohan observed.

"God, it's freezing out here!" Videl said before sneezing again. "I might catch a cold!"

"Let's try to make this quick." Gohan said tersely.

The radar indicated that the ball was close, so Gohan descended to the snowy mountain area. He walked in the direction the radar was indicating, which seemed to be headed to a cave. Gohan stepped into the dark cave and transformed into a Super Saiyan to provide some light. Gohan walked closer until he saw some big block of ice against the wall. He ran closer to it and found an orange ball locked in the ice. However, he couldn't see the stars, so he wouldn't know if it was the one he was looking for until after he released it.

Gohan placed his hand on the block of ice and took a deep breath. He shouted loudly and released some of his Ki to melt the ice. In an instant, the ice melted into water and the Dragon Ball fell to the ground. Gohan picked it up and turned it around. Much to his disappointment, it was the three-star ball.

"Dammit, so close…" Gohan said with a sigh.

"Oh well, looks like we'll just have to try again." Videl said.

Gohan nodded and took a step forward until he felt something shaking below him. Gohan looked around and suddenly, the entire cave started shaking. Videl tripped and fell to the floor.

"Uh…Gohan…I think we're about to get caught in an avalanche!"

Gohan quickly scooped Videl up in one arms and ran out of the cave with haste. When he made it back outside, the rumbling intensified. Gohan jumped into the sky and could see a huge flood of snow making its way down the mountain. "Let's get out of here quick!"

Gohan was about to fly forward until something large fell to the ground, making a rather large impact that rocked the entire area. Gohan flinched, and before he even knew it, the Dragon radar slipped out of his hand. Gohan turned around and tried to catch it, but it was too late. It fell to the ground and got caught by one of the rather large blocks of snow trailing down the mountain. Gohan scowled and cursed his luck.

"Dammit! We lost the radar! Now how will we find the ball?" Gohan shouted.

Videl frowned. "Damn, this does suck. But first, let's get the hell out of here!"

Gohan turned around and flew far away from the unstable area until he found another snowy land. He descended to the floor and raised a hand to his chin. Videl jumped off of his shoulder.

"It looks like we're going to need to get Bulma to create a new Dragon Radar…" Gohan mused.

"I see. How long will that take?" Videl asked.

"It depends. It might take a while, especially considering how busy Bulma is." Gohan replied.

"Damn. Looks like we may have to wait a while, then…" Videl said.

"Not to worry!" Said a very old sounding, raspy voice from behind the two. Both teens turned around and saw an unexpected visitor. It was an old lady with purple hair, a black hat, and a black gown. She was sitting on top of a floating crystal ball.

"Who are you?" Videl asked.

"Baba?" Gohan said. "What are you doing here?"

"You know this girl?" Videl asked Gohan.

Baba laughed. "Yes, indeed. I'm here to show you the location of the four-star ball."

"Wait, how do you know that? Don't you need a radar?" Videl asked in confusion.

"Baba is a psychic, Videl. But usually she charges money to use her powers." Gohan turned his attention back to Baba. "So what gives? Why'd you decide to come here now to help me out?"

"I was actually sent here." Baba replied.

Gohan raised an eyebrow. "By who?"

"It's somebody who you know _very_ well, Gohan." Baba said with a twinkle in her eye.

Gohan was drawing a blank as to who it was. "Such as…"

"**Baba, is that my cue to speak? I've been standing here with my hand on King Kai's back for nearly five minutes now, and it's really getting boring!"**


	16. The Big Damn Talk

That voice…Gohan knew that voice from anywhere. But no…it couldn't be! There was no way!

Videl frantically looked around to see if there was anyone else there. "Uh…where did that voice come from?"

Baba laughed. "Yes, you can speak!"

"**Oh, good, I was getting anxious!" **The voice said with an eagerness that was all too familiar to Gohan. **"Whoa, Gohan, you've gotten taller!"**

Gohan still wasn't sure of whether or not he was dreaming. "Fa-father…?"

"**Yup, in the flesh!" **Goku said. **"Well…not in the flesh, but you get the idea!"**

"Why…?" Was all Gohan managed to say at the moment.

"**Why? I figured it'd be cool if I helped my son find the good ol' four-star ball, of course!"** Goku said, oblivious to the tension forming.

Videl felt like she was about to faint. "Okay…this is getting too weird. Is your dad talking from heaven or something?"

"**Oh, so this must be your girlfriend, Videl! She's a lot cuter than I'd imagined, what with her being the daughter of that Satan dude from the Cell Games and all."** Goku said.

Videl blushed. "Uh…thanks, Mr. Goku."

"Father…what's made you _finally_ decide to talk to me after three years? It's been three years and you're acting like nothing's happened." Gohan said irritably. The negative feelings that he had been trying to push back ever since his "talk" with Vegeta were returning.

"**Yeah, I should've figured you'd say something like that…"** Goku said through a nervous laugh. Gohan shook his head. He could practically see his father goofily scratching the back of his head as he said that.

"At least you're aware of something for once…" Gohan muttered.

"**Gohan, I know you're mad at me-"**

"Mad?" Gohan snapped. "Mad doesn't even begin to describe it, father! Do you know what I've had to deal with for the last three years? It would've been so much easier if you were here!" The half-Saiyan shouted, his eyes glistening.

"**I didn't have any other choice, son. You know that – I was just trying to do what was best for the Earth." **Goku reasoned, his voice becoming more somber in tone.

"You're lying…you just wanted to get another challenge because you know you didn't have any here!" Gohan sneered.

"**Well, I admit, that was **_**part**_** of the reason."** Goku said, in a much lighter tone. Gohan rolled his eyes. **"But trust me, I wouldn't have left permanently if it weren't for a good reason, Gohan."**

"That's the problem, dad – you leave all of the time, and you never seem to realize how much it affects me and mom! What about after Namek, huh? You were out in space for nearly _two years_!" Gohan said.

"**I know, I haven't always made the best decisions. There were times where…I could have been there. But those other times, I came back-"**

"So what?"

"**So, for me to do something that would mean for me to **_**never**_** be able to come back, there'd be a good reason. I understand that this wasn't the easiest thing to do, but I was trying to keep you, and the planet, safe."** Goku said.

"Fuck the planet, dad! Our family needs you – _I _need you!" Gohan argued, tears flowing from his eyes.

"**I know you want me back, and if I could be there without there being any problems, believe me, I'd be back faster than you can say 'Roshi's videos.' But I meant what I said before, Gohan. You're a strong person, and I hope that eventually you come to realize that. Our family, our friends, **_**our planet**_**, are a lot safer in your hands. And you're a heckuva lot better at this hero thing than I've been."**

Gohan nodded and wiped some of the tears away from his eyes as Goku continued.

"**And more importantly, I've realized from seeing your changes since I passed on how much I hurt people with my decisions…I want you to learn from my absences and take them to the heart. Take the mistakes I've made and use them to become a better man…a better, more responsible, man that **_**I**_** was."**

His father's words made the younger Saiyan tremble. All of this time, even when he was gone, his father was trying to indirectly teach him something: never take the ones you love for granted. It was clear – Goku wanted his son to find himself in his absence and make things right. One final lesson from father to son. Goku put all of his trust in Gohan to not make the mistakes that _he_ would've likely continually made had he still been there. It was now Gohan's job to fill in his shoes and more importantly, _surpass_ him. Not in strength, but in legacy.

"**But, I don't want you to ever **_**forget**_** me, of course, so that's why I'm helping you find the four-star ball. My grandpa gave it to me, and now I'm passing it on to you, for you to remember me by. There will always be a piece of me at home, Gohan." **Goku explained.

Videl still didn't understand how Goku was actually talking, but she realized how strong of a moment this likely was between the two. She looked at Gohan, and saw tears forming in his eyes yet again. But, these were different tears. Not sad, not angry…they seemed _happy_.

"D-daddy…"

"**No matter what you do, I'll always be with you in spirit; just make sure you never lose that ball. I'll always be proud of everything you've done, and I hope you can keep making your father proud in the future."**

"Th-thank you…" Gohan said, doing his best to hold back his tears, but it was becoming much more difficult.

"**And when your time comes to join me here in Other World, we're going fishing!" **Goku said, in his usual light-hearted tone.

Gohan wiped the tears from his face and smiled up at the sky. He could practically see his dad smiling right back at him. "I look forward to it, dad! Hell, maybe by the time that comes you'll be as strong as me, and we can _really_ fight!"

"**Oh, that would **_**definitely**_** be great!" **Goku said cheerfully, but with a hint of challenge in his voice. **"Well, let's at least hope Vegeta doesn't get me first! Speaking of which, tell him I said thanks, for looking out for you these past three years."**

Gohan nodded. "Right!"

"**Well, it's been great speaking to you again. Give your mother and Goten my regards. See ya when you die!" **Goku said cheerfully.

Gohan laughed. He _would_ say something as grim as that so casually. He sniffled a little bit, as he was overcome with emotion. His father truly was looking out for him, and he always would. It was a relieving feeling to know that everything his mother, Videl, hell even Vegeta had been trying to tell him for so long _was_ true. His goal in life now was to make his father proud and learn from his mistakes. Gohan turned to Videl with a smile on his face. She was part of his world, now, and he was going to do everything he could to protect and be there for her. It was odd; doing the opposite of what his dad did was always his prerogative, but in many ways, it was to spite him. Now, however, he was doing it with his blessing; it gave him renewed purpose.

Videl felt touched. She never saw Gohan genuinely _happy_ before today. All he needed was to hear the words from his dad. She jumped into his arms and gave him a kiss. "Gohan…I'm so happy for you."

"Thank you, Videl." Gohan replied.

Baba cleared her throat. "I hate to interrupt such a happy moment, but there's still a reason I came to you, and quite frankly, it's freezing here!"

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Gohan said. "So, where's the four-star ball, anyway?"

* * *

><p>Gohan sat at the kitchen table in the Capsule Corp. compound, staring at the four-star ball with a smile on his face. This day had gone far better than he'd ever imagined. His father always had a tendency of making it hard to stay mad at him, and he proved it today. In his anger, Gohan forgot all of the great things his dad did for him while he was there – making him stronger, both physically and mentally, and generally being a fun, good father. Even though he wasn't around anymore, and tended to be scatterbrained about his priorities, it was time to stop dwelling on it. The half-Saiyan realized that his father would always care about him and continue looking out for him; all he could do now was make him proud and make sure his sacrifice wasn't in vain. Sure, he had become a lot more cynical about the world in the past three years, but at the very least, he had a newfound understanding and appreciation for his dad.<p>

Gohan turned around and looked out the window, where he saw Videl training, punching aimlessly at the air. He smirked at the sight; Videl definitely had the blood of a fighter running through her veins, and it relieved him to know that should he decide to keep up with his training, he'd have a companion that wouldn't be affected by it in the least. Gohan turned back around and held up the four-star ball. He was going to protect the ball and make sure he'd never lose it.

Bulma and Vegeta walked in the kitchen. "So I see Goku sent Baba after all."

Gohan looked at Bulma curiously. "Wait…you knew? But how?"

"Well let's just say a certain _somebody_ came up with the idea." Bulma said, turning towards her flame-haired Saiyan husband and winking.

Vegeta glared at Bulma. "For the love of God, woman-"

"Vegeta, you mean _you_ were the one that told him abo-"

"Shut up, brat!" Vegeta hissed before looking off to the side with an irritated scowl on his face.

Gohan smirked and nodded. He knew he didn't need to tell him thanks.

Videl walked back in, wiping some sweat off from her forehead. "Man, Trunks sure is strong for a four year old."

"Indeed. Much tougher than Kabarat #2." Vegeta snickered.

"We'll see about that." Gohan said.

Vegeta grunted and went off to the gravity room. Bulma poured out a glass of orange juice for Gohan and Videl and sat down at the table. "So, from how happy you look, I'd assume things went well."

Gohan nodded. "I'm starting to understand my dad's decisions. It's weird, because if he actually just dropped down here to try and see me, I probably would have never even given him a chance to explain himself. Hell, I probably would've tried to fight him." Gohan said. "But I guess…since he was talking from Other World, something in me told me to let him speak, because I'd likely never get another chance at that again.

"He was actually remorseful for leaving, both 3 years ago and for all of the other times he wasn't there. One of the reasons he stayed dead was because he knew he would probably go and find some other stupid reason to go off on some adventure in the future."

Bulma laughed. "Yeah, that sounds just like him."

"Dad wants me to take his place, and do the _right_ thing. It's weird, because ever since Goten was born, I _did_ promise to do exactly that, but it was different then." Gohan said.

"How so?" Bulma asked.

"I was just trying to get back at dad back then. Don't get me wrong, I still cared, but what I _really_ wanted to do was absolutely avoid associating myself with my father out of anger. But now, I'm doing it to make him proud."

Bulma smiled. She always knew Goku cared, but she was glad that Gohan could now see it for himself.

Gohan took a deep breath. "I still don't like the fact that he's gone, and I probably never will. But I can't stay mad at him for it. I know that he loves me and all of our friends and family. And it's more than just that – over the past few weeks, a lot more of my Saiyan instincts have been coming out, and I've got a hunger for battle more than ever before. Because of that, I'm starting to see how dad's head operates a little – he's a full-blooded Saiyan warrior, so while if he were here, he'd be around for a good bit, but something would give eventually. He knows it more than anyone and while he's gone, he's entrusting _me_ to do better and keep everyone safe."

"You know, the weird part is, usually someone like your dad would be a deadbeat." Videl said, choosing her words carefully. "But…he obviously tried, but saw no other choice."

"Dad's always been sort of a 'big kid.' And even though he's told me he won't be able to stay, I can't continue resenting him for it." Gohan flashed that stupid cheeky grin again. "I mean, after all, he's not trying to hurt anybody, he's just _'Saiyan!'"_

Videl and Bulma nearly face planted. "Gohan, seriously! That is **not** funny!"

"And here I thought only Vegeta made that lame pun…" Bulma muttered.

Gohan held up the four-star ball. "But at least, I'll always have some piece of him here, no matter what. Even if he's not here physically, he'll always be with us in spirit."

The two females both smiled. "Well I'm glad you're finally starting to see your dad in a positive light, Gohan." Videl said.

"And speaking of Saiyans being battle hungry, I think it's about time I sparred with Vegeta." Gohan said, getting up from the table.

"I always wondered…how'd you get Vegeta to stay around, Bulma?" Videl asked. "I mean, I assume he'd probably go off on training adventures, too."

"Well, Vegeta's a lot different from Goku. He never had _anybody_ growing up and his father did him a lot worse than anything Gohan could imagine. I guess, he doesn't want Trunks to have to go through what he did." Bulma replied. "And plus, his greatest challenge now _is_ Gohan. But before that, Goku was always his #1 challenge; after he died, Vegeta took it almost even worse than Gohan. There was a point where he had _completely_ given up fighting. He'd just lie around in his room moping all day, not even bothering to use the gravity room. It honestly felt _weird_ having him around without all of the bossy demands about gravity room repairs and such.

"But once Trunks got old enough – which to him was once he was used to walking - Vegeta got back into fighting to train him, especially to make sure that at least his son would be stronger than Goten. And when Gohan started coming here to spar to get his stress out of his system, that's when his determination _really_ became restored." Bulma explained.

"So what was Vegeta's life like before ending up here, anyway?" Videl asked.

Bulma shook her head. "Trust me, it's pretty complicated, and if I told you, Vegeta would probably kill me."

Videl laughed and figured that'd sound like him.

Gohan walked down the hall, but he wasn't sensing Vegeta's Ki in the gravity room like he usually expected. He walked by and saw Trunks playing video games in his room.

"Trunks, where's your dad? I thought he'd be in the gravity room." Gohan asked.

Trunks paused his game and turned to Gohan. "Uh…I think he went to his room or something."

Gohan nodded and walked further down to hall to the room in question. The door was closed, so Gohan instead slowly cracked it open. He saw Vegeta sitting on the bed, gazing at some chain he was holding in his hand. Gohan cracked the door open a bit more.

"Vegeta…?"

Vegeta jerked his head up and looked towards the doorway. "Brat, what the hell are you doing?"

"I was wondering where you were. I want to spar." Gohan replied.

"Well you should knock first!" Vegeta sneered. "You should've learned that lesson the last time you burst in this room unannounced."

"Oh, c'mon, Bulma was downstairs this time." Gohan joked.

"My point still stands." Vegeta growled.

"Well, anyway, are you up for a spar or not?"

"Yes. Now hold on." Vegeta said, getting up and walking towards the bathroom across from his bed in the room. He closed the door, and Gohan noticed that he left the chain lying on the bed. Out of curiosity, Gohan lifted it up and observed the object. There was a design engraved in the pendant; an odd, red symbol. It almost resembled a "V" but it had other odd aspects as well.

_Hmm…this must be some Saiyan thing._ Gohan pondered to himself.

The half-breed heard the sound of a door swinging open and hastily dropped the chain back down to the bed. Vegeta raised a curious eyebrow but otherwise didn't press any issue. "What are you still doing here, brat? Get ready!"

Gohan nodded and ran back to his room to change into his usual Piccolo-inspired outfit. He headed to the gravity room, where Vegeta was already waiting. He eyed Gohan curiously, wondering if he'd ask him why _he_ of all people decided to figure out a way to contact Goku about his search for the four-star ball. The reason why, which he'd never tell, was because he felt Gohan should move on, but at the very least have something to remember his father by. Vegeta had the royal crest of his family; back when he was working for Frieza, he always kept a piece of his old armor that had the design of the crest. Every now and then, he would look at it, and he'd remember his goal, and the promise he'd made to his fallen race. Even though he didn't know what really happened to them at that point, he knew how much they all hated Frieza, and promised to get their revenge for years of slavery. It was one small piece of home, but it helped maintain the small shred of sanity he still had left.

Vegeta was surprised to see that Gohan didn't say a single word, and instead transformed into a Super Saiyan almost immediately. Vegeta did the same, and the fight began…

* * *

><p>Over the next week, Gohan began putting his project together. Chi-Chi came by to drop off a bunch of family pictures for Gohan to use, while he got his essay prepared. When Friday, the day of the presentation, came, Gohan was prepared. He went to school wearing the big yellow tunic and red top hat, complete with the four-star ball on top of it. Thankfully, he didn't stick out that much, as there were several other students in the hallway wearing outfits one would consider strange. Videl came by wearing a martial arts gi with a gold belt slung over her shoulder.<p>

"So I see you're prepared, Gohan." Videl said.

Gohan nodded. "What's the belt for?"

"It's the goofy thing my dad carries around for his victory in the 24th World Martial Arts Tournament last year. I mean, now I know he'd get his ass kicked if any of you guys entered, but still." Videl explained.

The two walked into homeroom, where of course Erasa was the first to comment on Gohan.

"Wow, Gohan, you look so cute in your little uniform!" Erasa said while gawking at him.

"Hn."

Gohan took a seat and waited for the day to go by so he could get his presentation over with. In Algebra, he took his usual nap, which sped things up. At lunch, he ate at his usual spot on the rooftop, while staring at the sky.

Gohan took the four-star ball off of his hat and looked at it. "I'll make you proud today, father."

The rest of the day flew by, until it was finally 6th period. Gohan sat in his desk, anxiously waiting for when his turn to present would come. Most of the presentations so far were interesting, though dull. Most of the students didn't really have their hearts in it. Gohan fought off the urge to fall asleep.

"Gohan, it's your turn." Mr. Horikawa said.

Gohan got up from his seat and walked to the front of the class. He took out a capsule and tossed it to the ground, and from the smoke came a board covered in pictures of him and his family.

"I know some of you probably want to hear about my alien heritage, but I know next to nothing about it. You'll probably have to ask Vegeta about stuff like that." Gohan began. "Anyway, this attire I'm wearing was something I used to wear as a kid a lot; it reminds me of the simpler days, before I was fighting crazy aliens and androids. When it was just me, my mother, and my father."

Gohan took off the four-star ball from his hat and put it on display for the whole class to see. "And this, is a Dragon Ball. This one has four stars on it, and it's very important to my family. My father had it since he was a kid; he kept it as a memento of his late grandfather. It pretty much became the reason why my dad went off on so many adventures; it's the reason why Bulma Briefs herself knows me and my family, as she ran into him looking for this very ball. My dad was a great fighter, and treated everyone he knew with kindness. Unfortunately, he's no longer here, but I'll always have this ball to remember him by."

Some students in the class gave him sympathetic looks, although Gohan paid them no mind. "My father was always somewhat scatter-brained and didn't always have his priorities in check. But he loved all of his friends and family and did everything he could to protect us. And with this ball, I know that even if he's no longer with us, he'll always be looking out for me, and there will always be a part of him here. And hopefully, I'll make him proud!"

"Care to explain some of the pictures, Gohan?" Mr. Horikawa asked.

Gohan took one of the pictures off of the board. It was one of him and his father, as Super Saiyans, in the middle of eating long strands of pastas. "This was on the day of the celebration of my 11th birthday. It's one of my last memories of my dad before the Cell Games. One thing that I lost sight of over the last few years were those ten days prior to the tournament, where my father took advantage of those last few days of peace, and instead of training like he usually did, he hung around with me and my friends. It was so jarring, but I know it was because he put his trust in me and wanted to cherish the time he had with his family, in case something bad happened…

"It's taken me quite a bit to understand why my father did the things he did, and to get over his death, but I'm starting to. I always blamed myself for his death, but in truth, he was doing what he always did; selflessly putting himself at risk for the lives of others. I know he didn't always do the right things, like valuing fighting a little _too_ much, but he's given me so much while he was here, and I can _never_ forget it. Son Goku was a lot of things – a fighter, a hero, and while he wasn't the picture of a family man, I can say with pride that he was _my father!_ I'm Gohan, and thank you all for your time!"

The class applauded Gohan as he put his board away and walked back to his seat.

"You were great, Gohan!" Erasa said.

Gohan looked over at Videl, who gave him a wink and a thumbs up. Gohan nodded and turned back to the front of the class.

For the first time, he was actually _happy_ in that stupid school.

* * *

><p><strong>Alright, I've got one more chapter left after this. I know some of you all will be disappointed at Gohan and Goku not having more tension and Gohan forgiving him so easily, but honestly, every time I tried to think of ways to draw their tension out, I couldn't without it being dull and forced. Don't forget, this is Goku we're talking about. Everyone in the show always talks about how it's impossible to <strong>_**stay**_** mad at him. Besides, I think all throughout this fic, Gohan was just waiting to hear the right words from his father to know that he wasn't trying to just get away from his family. The point of this fic wasn't to pile on Goku hate, but for Gohan to eventually see the light and understand why his dad did the things he did. I hope some of Goku's reasoning didn't sound too far-fetched.**


	17. Epilogue

Y'know, I guess my mother was right all along when she enrolled me in that school. Sure, Erasa is annoying as hell, and I'm pretty sure Sharpner is desperately trying to stay on my good side at all times, but it brought me one person who has helped me in so many ways: Videl. Yeah, she had to put up with a lot of my bullshit, but she's a tough girl. The one thing that I love about her is her determination. After the day of my presentation, fall break began, and Videl decided to come with me to an island so she could train more intensively. Let's just say, I took on the role Piccolo had when he trained me in spades. Yeah, it was only one week, but she made so much progress. I tried my damndest to upgrade to the next level of _my_ training, too, but no dice.

When we came back on Sunday, the first thing we ran into was yet another duo of criminals in Satan City. Those dumbasses never seem to quit, even when the one adolescent with the balls to fight Cell is going around fighting crime with the daughter buffoon they think saved the world. _I_ wanted to punish them for their stupidity, but Videl was confident enough in her abilities to do it herself.

"Who do you two kids think you are, huh?" One of the two robbers asked. He had such an irritating voice. They were trying to rob the Satan City bank, and would've gotten away with it if it weren't for us meddling kids.

"You two may think you can beat us up, but we have _guns!_" His partner threatened. These guys are so fucking hopeless. I raised my hand to blow up the truck they were trying to retrieve their weapons from, but Videl grabbed my hand and shook her head. Now _this_ was going to be fun to watch.

Videl raised both of her hands over her head and crossed them together. I could feel her Ki rising, and it began glowing around her hands.

"MASENKO-HA!"

I smirked. It definitely boosted my pride knowing she was putting my very own techniques to good use. The Ki wave, while not providing the beautiful destruction mine would've provided, dealt a good amount of damage to the car anyway, and managed to scare the two criminals. I could practically smell the fear coming from the two incompetent gits.

But I guess desperateness breeds stupidity, because the pair decided to fight anyway. They ran at us, and we both kicked them high up in the sky for their troubles. _Too_ _easy, _I thought.

After that, we flew back to West City. The day before, I called Bulma and told her I was ready to go back home. I felt that I was starting to get a good grip on my Saiyan instincts, so that what happened a few weeks ago with my mom would never repeat itself. Besides, I was feeling less inclined to talk back to her, anyway. I really missed home, and it was about time I went back. When we arrived at Capsule Corp, mom was already there.

Her face lit up when she saw me. "Gohan!"

Like my father would always do, I looked down at the ground and scratched the back of my head. "Hey, mom."

I stepped closer to her, trying to find the right thing to say as an apology. "Mom, I'm sorry…"

"I know son, y-"

"Not just for a few weeks ago, either." I interrupted. "But for…all of the crap I've given you for the past few years."

My mom smiled upon hearing that. "Thank you, Gohan."

She walked closely and gave me a hug. Yeah, I felt a little embarrassed about it, but _nothing_ in the world beats a mother's hug. Not even killing Cell for all of eternity.

Bulma and, surprisingly, Vegeta came down to the living room, along with Trunks.

"Aww, Gohan, are you really leaving now?" Trunks asked with a frown.

I patted him on the head. "Don't worry, squirt, I'll come to visit every now and then." That was enough to snap him right back into a happy mood.

"Well, Gohan, it was great having you around." Bulma said.

I nodded and then turned to Vegeta. He nodded in response, and I expected nothing more. It was great to have him around; in his own way, he was like a father figure to me for these past three years. Sure, he did nothing to hide his general irritation, but that didn't change the fact that he's tried to help me so much, and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have patched things up with my dad. I will always appreciate him for that.

I turned to Videl, who smiled at me. "What, you're acting like I'm never seeing you again or something." She said.

I shook my head. "Yeah, whatever. I'll see you at school."

Videl gave me a kiss and I tuned out whatever nonsense my mom was spewing about grandchildren at that moment. Videl flew back to Satan City. I gave one last wave to the Briefs family before walking out of the compound with mom. We both stepped into the car, and as soon as I closed the door, the familiar feeling – and noise – of my stomach growling hit me. Mom laughed.

"Yeah, I figured you'd be hungry. Now let's hurry and get home!" She said. I laughed nervously in response.

It was good to be coming back home again. I now had a promise to fulfill, and that was to make sure that my mother and brother were always protected. As well as to make sure I would always be there for Videl, no matter what. My father expected no less from me. I can't turn back from the changes I've made throughout the last three years, and my personality isn't going to go back to regular cheery ol' Gohan again, but at the very least, I won't be pissing people off with my stubbornness and short temper anymore. For the first time in a long while, I was actually looking forward to everything in my future. I was going to make my father proud at all costs.

Because if I didn't do it, I'd be *ahem*…_One Miffed Delivery Boy_

**THE END**

**Yup, that's it! Thank you all for supporting me throughout this fic. I **_**may**_** do a sequel that revolves around a certain wizard taking advantage of our favorite half-breed, but don't hold your breath. My other fic, Dragon Ball NG, hasn't been getting a lot of love from me lately, and I'm honestly drawing a blank as to how to write the sequel fic without it either A) Being a copy/paste of the Buu saga but with Gohan and Vegeta switching roles, or B) a rip-off of Unexpected Majin. Ah, well.**


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